MAKKAH: A number of tenants in Makkah have been evicted from their homes in anticipation of Haj because landlords prefer to rent their buildings to pilgrims at higher rates. Landlords ask tenants to vacate their apartments about a month before Haj, according to Al-Watan daily.
Samira Abu Hiraib, who has yet to complete a year in her apartment, said she was taken by surprise when her landlord asked her to vacate the apartment because he wanted to rent the entire building to pilgrims.
"I spent about SR20,000 on maintenance and repairs in the apartment but I could not enjoy living in it because its owner wanted me out as quickly as possible," she said, asking: "Where do I go? Do I live in the streets or become a burden on some of my relatives?"
Like many other tenants, Abu Hiraib is now looking for an apartment whose owner does not rent to pilgrims.
Housewife Um Ahmed said she had been renting her house to the guests of God every year for over 25 years. "I take my husband and kids and go to the roof of the house with my furniture leaving the house empty for the Hajis. I make a lot of money during a very short period of time," she said.
Jameela Al-Hawsawi, who lives in Al-Misfalah district (a prime area very close to the Haram), says her family has an agreement with a Haj tour operator that allows pilgrims to stay in her apartment. "The establishment pays us a huge amount of money as rent for the month. I avail this opportunity to go to Hafr Al-Batin in the northeast to visit my sister who lives there," she said.
Real estate agent Abu Abdullah said he leaves his building and goes to Jeddah away from the noise and crowds in Makkah during the Haj season.
"My building accommodates up to 200 pilgrims. I charge each of them between SR1,500 to SR2,000. When the pilgrims leave, I bring a cleaning and maintenance company to make the repairs. So you can imagine how much money I make in a short time," he said.
H. Al-Qurashi, who has a five-story building, charges every pilgrim SR1,500 without beds and SR2,000 with beds. "I leave my building during this time a live in a rest house outside Makkah where we enjoy ourselves away from the noise in Makkah," he said.
Renting residential property to pilgrims is legal in Makkah as long as a municipal license is obtained.
