What is usufruct?
In general, a “right of usufruct” is a right to enjoy property belonging to another person and to us it for one’s own profit, utility and advantage. Law 17 of 2004 provides very clear rules on how this is to be managed in Qatar, which safe-guards the individual purchaser’s of a right to usufruct. This is generally embodied in a leasehold agreement with the property (building / developer) owner. The law allows the tenure of the initial lease for up to 99 years and to be renewable. The right of usufruct is to terminate upon the expiry of its defined term, or upon the mutual agreement of the parties, or the destruction of the property, or the expropriation by the government. However, if either of the last two conditions occur then the owner of the property must indemnify the usufructuary (leaseholder) for the remaining period of the right to usufruct (lease). The leaseholder retains the right to sell his lease or pass it to his or her heirs.
