Idlib – Anas al-Khouli

Residents of Idlib are suffering from the high brokerage fees charged by real estate office owners for every contract they finalize, whether it is a sales contract, lease, or property purchase.

On the other hand, real estate office owners complain about individuals working in the profession without the necessary experience or licenses, which negatively affects the profession. They call for the organization of the sector to prevent citizens from falling into the fraud trap.

No regulations

In Idlib, there are no regulations to determine house rental prices or brokerage fees, as rental prices are set based on the will of the homeowner and consultation with the real estate office that wishes to raise the fees to obtain a higher commission.

The rents for homes in the old neighborhoods of Idlib reach approximately $50 (1700 Turkish lira), while in neighborhoods with modern buildings, rents can reach $100, with these approximate figures increasing based on area and location.

The brokerage fee is 50% of the rent for one month and is paid by the tenant at the beginning of the lease contract, which lasts six months.

Fadi Qadhnoun, the owner of the Sarmin real estate office, told Enab Baladi that some real estate office owners exploit the citizens’ need, raising rental prices, especially amid the current displacement crisis resulting from military escalation in the area.

Qadhnoun explained that office owners have called on the Ministry of Local Administration and the responsible authorities to collaborate on forming a body that brings together real estate office owners to organize the profession and define the rights and duties of office owners, as well as office fees in line with citizens’ economic conditions.

Exploitation of the profession… Fraud is possible

Several individuals lacking experience or licenses are practicing brokerage in Idlib, actively using social media channels to share information about properties and secure clients. This situation irritates real estate office owners and generates many problems between property owners and clients.

Abdul Wahed al-Wais from the al-Dhahya Real Estate Company in the Kafr Takharim area in northern Idlib stated that several inexperienced individuals exploit families looking for properties to rent or buy, leading citizens to fall into fraud traps.

Al-Wais believes that there must be an authority that sets professional standards and organizes it, cooperating with responsible entities to impose penalties on unlicensed workers.

In turn, Mohammad Deeb Awad, the owner of the al-Mukhtar real estate office in Ariha, noted that many workers in this profession operate without licenses, some with forged stamps, and work openly without any accountability or oversight. He mentioned that he has filed several complaints and attended meetings with the ministry without any tangible results.

The real estate brokerage profession requires workers in this field to verify the owner’s title before listing properties for sale or rent and ensure that the requested price corresponds to the market price in the area, protecting clients from inequity and fraud.

Citizens usually approach real estate offices not only to find suitable properties but also to benefit from the office owners’ expertise, seek their advice, and avoid falling victim to fraud.

Promises to establish a brokerage association

Recently, the Ministry of Local Administration and Services of the Syrian Salvation Government in Idlib held meetings with many office and real estate company owners and municipal heads to form a professional association for real estate brokerage.

Ahmed Sanda, the director of the Ministry of Local Administration’s office, told Enab Baladi that the meetings aimed to discuss the requirements and challenges of the real estate brokerage profession, listen to the problems of office owners, and collaborate to organize the profession in a way that guarantees the rights of all parties involved.

Sanda clarified that real estate offices charge varying fees from one office to another, leading to increased rental prices and creating problems related to some contracts made by real estate offices, necessitating an entity to advocate for the rights of real estate office owners.

He mentioned that the ministry, in collaboration with real estate office owners, seeks to form a professional association to regulate this profession, set the fees for office owners, and establish work regulations, while assisting in resolving recurring problems.

Currently, contracts organized by office owners require notarization by a notary public to acquire executive validity, according to Sanda. He noted that the professional association will play a significant role in providing real estate offices with the necessary tools to make issued contracts executively valid without needing notarization in the future.

Sanda added that the cooperation between the ministry and the association will alleviate citizens’ suffering by streamlining some procedures necessary to complete contracts, balancing citizens’ needs with the interests of real estate offices.

He pointed out that the ministry is working on expanding organizational plans for cities and towns and easing licensing procedures to help reduce housing and rental prices in the region.

Supply and demand

Housing prices and rental fees in the region are primarily linked to supply and demand, without considering citizens’ economic conditions or any regulations to protect them currently, enabling property owners to exploit citizens’ needs and raise rents.

The search for housing has become a recurring crisis in the city of Idlib, which has become a refuge for displaced individuals from most Syrian cities and towns. Additionally, property rents have increased by 70% this year compared to 2023.

In February 2022, the Salvation Government issued a decision to regulate contracting procedures and rental agreements in areas under its control, which included documenting rental contracts with a notary, considering this document as an executive title in all courts.

The decision also included setting the duration of a rental contract to one year, renewable by mutual consent, determining rental fees in US dollars or Turkish lira only, and other procedures related to the commission for office owners, without using other forms for concluding contracts.

According to the United Nations, 5.1 million people live in northwestern Syria, of which 4.2 million need assistance, 3.4 million suffer from food insecurity, 3.4 million are internally displaced, and two million live in camps, while local statistics suggest that the number is between 5.5 to 6 million people.