Although those involved find such arrangements useful in helping them meet the costs of rent, taking on additional lodgers burdens a building's utility services, especially water consumption, something frowned upon by the occupants of other apartments in a building.

Many expatriates in Saudi Arabia say there is little use in renting expensive apartments. They say they are in the Kingdom to save as much money as they can before returning to their respective countries. It is because of this and the steady increase in rents that some expatriates say they are forced to share their apartments with other people.

“Landlords often increase their rents and this forces us to take on lodgers. If we don’t agree with the rent increases the landlords tell us to leave to bring in someone who will agree,” said an expatriate who did not want his name published.

In order to cash in on the growing demand for apartments, some landlords also have a tendency to partition large apartments to take on more lodgers and increase profits. Sudanese expatriate Ali Abdul Wahid Zain lives in a three-story building in which most of the apartments have been partitioned by the landlord to increase revenue.

“Because of the large number of residents in the building, we often have water shortages and suffer from a deteriorating level of cleanliness,” he said.

Zain said he is now obliged to pay SR22,000 in annual rent because he will not accept the idea of sharing his apartment with another tenant even if he is a relative or a compatriot.

“However, if the landlord decides to raise the rent, I will have to vacate and look for another place,” he said.

According to Zain, every apartment in the building is made up of four rooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen. “When they are divided, each apartment will have two rooms, one bathroom and a common kitchen. The two apartments will be divided by a cement wall,” he said.

An Indian, who requested not to publish his name, said he was forced to divide his apartment to be able to afford the rent. “This is a perfect method to face the ever-increasing rents,” he said.

He added that he does not see any logic in staying in a large apartment because his stay in the Kingdom is temporary. “There is no need to live in an expensive building as long as your stay here is not permanent,” he said.

He recalled that he used to pay SR22,000 in annual rent for his apartment but after dividing it he only pays SR11,000 for two rooms and a bathroom. “I am now saving more money which will enable me to reduce the duration of my stay here,” he said.

Muhammad Al-Yaaqoubi, an employee at a real estate office, said the partitioning of apartments is done without the knowledge of the concerned officials and without permits. “The aim is to make as much money as possible as rents increase,” he said.