Saudi Arabia’s National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has found massive discrimination by building owners in discriminating against Saudis when renting out apartments.
Complaints have been received from people in numerous cities throughout the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has a large population of migrant workers, and building landlords have found that foreigner tenants are more prompt in paying rent and take better care of the properties. An example of this discrimination reads as follows:
Muhammad Al-Ajami, another Saudi looking to rent an apartment for his large family in eastern Riyadh, said he found a suitable ground floor property, but the estate agent told him it could not be rented out as it was under repair.
After a few days Al-Ajami discovered the apartment had been rented out to a non-Saudi Arab. When he contacted the agent again he was shocked to hear the owner of the building did not want the property to be rented out to any Saudi.
As a result, building owners are going to great lengths to avoiding renting to Saudis, even going so far as to design apartments in such a way that did not suit Saudi family customs, with small rooms and scant consideration for women’s seclusion. Arab News
Editor’s note: find more stories and analysis like this on John Xenakis’s site GenerationalDynamics.com.
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