FIFA world cup fans who will be traveling to Qatar and the locals who are already living in the country have a new problem: accommodation. The locals living in Qatar have been hit with the issue of increased tents, which may force them to look elsewhere for accommodation.
The accommodation crisis hit the news when the world cup is very near, and many football fans have already bought match tickets.
The biggest question facing many football fans is the place to sleep. After the stressful days of exploring and pushing your favorite team to win matches, one would eventually need a place to sleep.
The real estate industry in Qatar is currently in chaos, as it is now the case of the highest bidder wins with the original residents being forced to leave their apartments for more affordable places. The situation in Qatar is causing serious damage to the country as many people are forced to leave the country for other places.
A 30-year-old British resident staying in Qatar spoke on how the accommodation crisis is causing much damage to the country. She said her landlord increased her monthly rent from 5,000 Qatari riyals (about $1,370) to 20,000 Qatari riyals (about $5,490)
“Landlords are taking full advantage of the situation, and there’s nothing in place to support the people who already live here,” the British resident said.
Qatar Government Isn’t Taking many actions On the Issue
The government or sheikhdom of Qatar has yet to respond swiftly to the huge problem that is going on in the country.
In Qatar, skilled workers and educated professionals outnumber the local residents by 9 to 1. Local residents have complained that these expats can afford the high house costs, leaving the locals to look for other options.
Because of the shortage of rooms and the accommodation crisis, many FIFA world cup fans will be forced to pay rent that is 40% higher than usual. The locals who can’t afford them will have to leave their houses.
The Qatar government only acknowledged the issue but has not done anything about the whole issue. Instead, they asked those who believed landlords wronged them to file a complaint to the government’s rental dispute committee.
Because of the government’s slow response to the issue, there’s fear that the accommodation crisis might turn into another national issue if not handled properly before the world cup kicks off.
About 1.2 million FIFA world cup fans are expected to come into the country for the tournament, and the government of Qatar has only set about 130,000 rooms for the visitors.
These rooms are obviously small for the number of people coming into the country, so many people might be forced to look at other housing options.
Other Accommodation Alternatives in Qatar
Especially for the visitors, other housing alternatives might be explored if they don’t secure a room from the 130,000 rooms provided by the Qatar government.
There are still some unbooked hotels and resorts in the country which can accommodate people, or those who can afford it can sleep on cruise ships.
Local residents who earn little may be unable to afford these cruise ships and hotels in the country for a long time.
A British teacher said he started staying with a friend when his landlord increased his rent by more than 40%.
“You’re committed to either staying and paying the extra or leaving and not knowing whether you are going anywhere to live,” the British teacher said.