Rental Contracts

What you need to know

Usually your contract will specify that your sponsor is responsible for making sure that the conditions of your rental contract are upheld.

There are two main reasons for this:

• Since most foreigners live in Oman on a temporary basis, landlords prefer to deal with permanent residents of their country. This way, in the unlikely event that their tenants leave Oman without paying rent or after causing damage to the apartment, they have someone to hold accountable for the damages.
• If you decide to terminate your lease before the end of yoru contract, your landlord will probably insist that you find a replacement tenant before you move out. A sponsor is better able to handle this process than a foreigner, partly due to the Arabic language and culture barrier and partly because of the legal restrictions applied to foreign residents in Oman

Remember that just because you can change your housing before the end of your contract doesn´t necessarily mean that you should. Landlord behavior is notoriously difficult in such situations - your landlord is likely to make the process as miserable as he possibly can.

Contracts usually call for advance payment in the form of one or two cheques, one of which is usually post-dated six months ahead. Employers often make rental payments on behalf of their employees, then deduct the cost from the employees´ salaries

Most rental contracts demand that property be returned without damage. Any damages must be repaired or replaced by the tenant. In addition, contracts usually contain provisions regarding "anti-social" behavior, which allow your landlord to evict you if you irritate your neighbors, party excessively, or otherwise disrupt the daily lives of other tenants.

Still, most foreigners come to Oman with full knowledge of landlords´ and neighbors´ high expctations, and therefore remain on their best behvior for the duration of their stays.

Inventory

Furnished apartments are equipped with a wide range of goods, usually of reasonable quality. A copy of the inventory will be provided along with the contract, and it will be checked again when you leave.

You will be charged for any property that is damaged, destroyed, or missing. If you are ignorant or clumsy enough to seriously damage your rental property, don´t expect to get your deposit back.