Yemen – War-induced overcrowding and global inflation hurt renters in Aden

Location: Aden, Yemen

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:04:00

Voice: Natural

Source: A24 Aden

Restriction: A24 subscribers

Date: 27/08/2022

Storyline:

The one million residents of Aden are grappling with increasing prices to rent houses and apartments- a problem exacerbated by thousands of displaced people adding to the housing shortage in the city.

In an interview with A24, property broker Makawi Muhamad called on authorities to impose a cap on rental prices.

Rent for an average 120 meters square apartment has risen to nearly 1,000 Saudi riyals- about 270 Euros a month.

Families can’t make ends meet with an average citizen’s salary hovering around 185 euros a month.

In addition, landlords are drawing up leases priced in Saudi riyals or dollars, which adds weakness of the Yemeni riyal to the challenges facing renters.

Shot list:

Soundbite (Wafi Fadl- Tenant):

“I struggle to secure food for my children. I live in a rented house and pay the rent in foreign currency. My main concern is how to pay the rent. We can’t live a normal life without thinking about it.”

Soundbite (Makawi Muhamad – Real estate dealer):

“Owners demand payment in hard currency, whether in Saudi riyals or dollars. Yemeni riyal is not used. The arrival of displaced people from several governorates due to the war in the country has led to overcrowding of homes, increased demand for rented apartments, and the greed of real estate owners who impose high prices. There is no control over rents. There is no rent control or price cap.

Soundbite (Hani Al-Mansoori – Property broker):

“We call on the authorities, whether the governors or the local councils, to control prices and ask real estate owners, whether apartments or shops, to impose rents suitable for citizens’ income. What expenses can 80,000 or 100,000 Yemeni riyals cover?”