Lusail Community Rules, What Residents Can and Cannot Do

What Are the Lusail Community Rules?

The Lusail community rules, also referred to as the Rules of Use, are issued by the master developer of Lusail, Qatari Diar, under the declaration of the Lusail master community. The Rules of Use set out certain requirements and restrictions on the use of private units and common areas in Lusail City, including provisions on renting out a unit, noise, balcony use, pets, parking, use of common areas and facilities and enforcement.

While the Lusail community rules are available on the Lusail City website in both Arabic and English, they do not indicate a date or version number, so it is best to check with the Lusail City Administration Complex for the latest version. Qatari Diar can change the community rules at any time, and unit owners and tenants will be deemed to have agreed to such changes. Arady sets out a summary of some of the key provisions of the Lusail community rules, which may be of interest to those who own, are considering buying or renting a property in Lusail.

Who Must Follow the Rules?

All occupiers of units must abide by the rules, as well as by the Lusail development declaration, the master community declaration and the constitution.

Owners must ensure that their tenants and other occupiers are aware of and abide by the rules. The master developer may require occupiers and owners to execute a deed of adherence to the rules, a simple form acknowledging receipt and agreement to abide by the rules.

Units may only be used for residential purposes, and no business or corporate activities are permitted in units.

What Do the Rules Say About Leasing?

Leases granted by an owner will have to be notified in writing to the master developer within seven days of the lease being agreed.

Leases will not be able to be for less than two months, unless agreed in advance in writing by the master developer, and this may be relevant for owners wishing to undertake short let or holiday let activities. Arady covers the state permit for such lets in its guide to the holiday home license in Qatar.

Prior written consent of the master developer will be required before an owner can agree to fractional or time-share ownership, or to leases where the property will be subject to multiple occupation.

Details of all the occupiers under a lease and the duration of the lease will have to be provided to the master developer.

Noise, Balconies and Building Appearance

Noise levels are to be kept to a reasonable level at all times. Beyond that, the rules deal with how a unit looks from outside.

• The use of garden and power equipment is allowed during normal working hours, provided noise is kept down
• Items which are unsightly when viewed from outside shall not be kept on balconies, terraces or other common areas
• Balconies must not be used for drying laundry which can be seen from outside
• Prior written consent is required for the installation of satellite dishes, TV aerials or air conditioning units on balconies or external walls
• Balconies and external areas of multi-unit buildings shall not be used for barbecues or for storage of gas cylinders without prior written consent
• No signs or advertisements visible from outside shall be displayed without prior consent
• Prior written consent of the master developer, and a permit from the competent authority if required, is needed for any external modifications or any structural, mechanical or electrical alterations
• Any internal alterations are to be carried out only during reasonable hours

Upkeep and Safety Inside the Unit

Occupiers shall keep the interior of the units in good and tidy condition and undertake interior repairs themselves. Occupiers shall engage the services of approved pest control companies to keep the units free from pests and shall maintain the units in a hygienic manner at all times.

The occupier shall not use the plumbing for any other purpose except those for which it was intended and shall make good any damage caused by such misuse. The occupier shall not place on any floors or ceilings any loads in excess of those for which the floors or ceilings are safe, and shall not without written consent bring in any heavy or industrial machinery.

Nothing shall be thrown or dropped from the unit, and the occupier shall comply with the waste segregation guidelines. No dangerous materials shall be stored within the unit. The occupier shall also comply with the security procedures put in place by the master developer and allow access to the unit when required for safety.

Are Pets Allowed in Lusail?

Pets are tolerated only to the extent that the competent authority permits. Bringing pets on the common property requires the prior written consent of the co-owners association, but even then, pets are only permitted in areas designated as pet friendly.

Tenants with pets should request the consent of the owner or property manager prior to entering into a lease.

Parking and Vehicle Rules

Drivers should follow all speed limits and signs within the master community. Vehicles must be parked in allocated bays only and not on pavements, in gardens, in front of entrances or fire hydrants. One car should not be parked on two parking bays.

The parking of trucks, trailers, boats and other heavy vehicles on any common property must have prior written consent. The master developer may serve a violation notice, clamp, fine or tow away vehicles at the risk and cost of the owner. The owner of a clamped or fined vehicle will be required to pay the fine before the vehicle will be released.

Vehicles should not be repaired or painted within the master community except in an emergency. Unregistered or unroadworthy vehicles, including quad bikes and dune buggies, may not be driven within it.

Pools, Gyms and Shared Areas

• Swimming pools, gyms and other recreation facilities are mainly for the use of permanent residents. Guests may use the facilities only when accompanied by residents, and residents will be responsible for the conduct and numbers of such guests
• Children and non-swimmers must have proper adult supervision at all times
• Common areas may be used for social and other functions, whether public or private, only with prior written permission
• Halls, stairways, elevators, exits and fire doors must be kept unobstructed at all times
• Access must be permitted for inspection and maintenance of shared utilities by properly authorized personnel upon notice, except in emergencies

What Happens When a Rule Is Broken?

There are no fixed fines set out in the rules. Where a violation continues for seven days after a written notice, two things can follow.

• The master developer may engage a third party to remedy the breach, with the cost of such rectification to be paid by the owner or occupier concerned
• The master developer may impose a penalty, with the amount to be determined in each particular case, until the default is made good

However, in the case of parking offenses, vehicles may be clamped, fined or towed away. Owners should note that they remain liable for the breaches of their tenants and should consider annexing a copy of the rules to the tenancy document.

Readers comparing locations can also see the Arady guides to the Pearl Island community rules, to district cooling in Lusail and to Lusail property prices.

Apartments for Sale in Lusail

Buyers can browse apartments for sale in Lusail on Arady.

Sources

• Lusail City, Rules of Use of the Lusail master community