The Ministry of Interior in the Syrian regime government issued a decision regarding the procedures for registering property lease contracts and the mechanism for organizing a form to notify about them.

The ministry published today, Saturday, November 23, the text of decision “No. 951” issued on October 17, on its official platforms.

The decision in its first article mandates that anyone who has rented a property must register the lease contract in the relevant administrative units or at the authorized citizen service center designated for registering lease contracts.

This decision includes the landlord, regardless of whether the property is rented for residential purposes, or for exercising any scientific, intellectual, commercial, industrial profession, or otherwise.

The decision also assigns to the relevant administrative unit and the authorized citizen service centers responsible for registering lease contracts the task of notifying the police unit in the area where the rented property is located.

They must send two copies of the lease contract registered with them, accompanied by a copy of one of the identification documents presented for contract registration, as stipulated in the executive instructions of the Lease Law “No. 20” of 2015, within 48 hours from the date of contract registration with them.

Moreover, the police unit in the area where the property is located must be visited immediately after the contract has been signed to organize a notification form in two copies for both the landlord who allowed others to occupy his property, and the one who occupied the property whether for residential purposes, or for practicing any scientific, intellectual, commercial, or industrial profession, or otherwise, whether on a loan basis, investment, partnership, or any other status excluding the rental relationship specified in the first article.

The relevant police unit is responsible for examining the status of the property occupant, and if it turns out that the occupant is under criminal prosecution or poses a threat to security and public order, legal measures will be taken against them.

The police units are tasked with receiving reports about individuals occupying a property without a legal status.

In this case, the police unit will go to the mentioned property and verify the validity of the received report, and if the incident is confirmed, they will prepare the necessary report and complete its formal and material procedures, including summoning the owner or landlord to review the occupation document.

The police unit will also prepare the report by ordering the occupant to rectify their legal status, or to vacate the premises within a period of 30 days.

Anyone violating the decision will be subject to the provisions of “Article 756” of the Penal Code, which states that “anyone who violates the regulations or decisions issued by the administrative or municipal authorities according to the laws shall be punished by detention and a fine, or by one of these penalties.”