President El-Sisi Approves Amendments to Old Rental Law
Egypt has introduced legal amendments requiring tenants to vacate leased properties upon contract expiry, allowing landlords to seek eviction through expedited court orders.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has ratified Law No. 165 of 2025, introducing amendments to Egypt’s rental legislation. The law modifies Law No. 4 of 1996, which governs properties that were never rented or whose lease agreements have ended without a legal right to continued occupancy.
A new article titled "Article 2 bis" has been added, requiring tenants, or their general or specific successors, to vacate and return the rented property to the landlord at the end of the lease period. If a tenant refuses to vacate, landlords may request an expedited eviction order. This procedure does not affect the tenant’s right to file a substantive lawsuit before the competent court under regular procedures, though such action will not suspend execution of the eviction order.
The law was published in the official gazette and will take effect the day after publication.
This development follows Parliament’s recent approval of the final draft of the Old Rent Law, which introduces a phased framework for ending long-term rental contracts. That legislation grants tenants of residential units a seven-year transitional period before vacating, and five years for commercial and administrative properties. It also establishes higher legal rental values and annual increases during the transitional phase.
