Egypt's recently enacted old-rent law will not be applied to leases signed on or after Jan. 31, 1996, regardless of their length or value, said Minister of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Mahmoud Fawzy on Wednesday. The law, passed after months of parliamentary debate, will liberalise pre-1996 lease contracts after seven years for residential units and five years for non-residential units. Fawzy said liberalisation means renegotiating terms, not forced eviction, and that landlords must obtain a court order if no agreement is reached. He explained that the Law No. 164 of 2025 aims to resolve decades-old disputes between landlords and tenants. He said the changes will only affect pre-1996 rental agreements, which will be liberalised after a seven-year transition period for residential properties and five years for non-residential units. The adjustment period, he said, is designed to give landlords, tenants and the government time to adapt. Minister Fawzy stressed that liberalisation does not mean automatic eviction. Instead, it invites landlords and tenants to renegotiate rental terms. If talks fail, landlords retain the right to reclaim their property through the courts. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
