Ownership and transfer of real estate are governed by the Civil Code and by the Real Estate Registration Law, Decree No. 5 of 1959. Leasing is governed by the Lease Law, Law No. 35 of 1978. Ownership by non-Kuwaitis is governed by Decree-Law No. 74 of 1979, materially amended by Decree-Law No. 7 of 2025 and implemented by Decree No. 195 of 2025.
Those 2025 instruments changed the market. Companies with non-Kuwaiti partners that are listed on a licensed Kuwaiti exchange, licensed real estate funds and portfolios, and entities licensed by the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority may now own real estate, subject to conditions and to a continuing prohibition on land designated for private housing. We advise on whether a particular structure qualifies, on what it may hold, and on how title is registered and in-kind entitlements are treated.
Our transactional work includes the negotiation and drafting of sale and purchase agreements, title and encumbrance investigation, registration before the competent authorities, development and construction arrangements, and financing and security over real estate. In leasing we act for landlords and tenants across commercial, residential and industrial premises, preparing leases and advising on rent review, renewal, assignment, subletting and termination.
We act for real estate companies and funds on portfolio acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures and restructuring, and on the management of property held for others. We also advise on the regulatory side of a real estate business, including the brokerage regime and the anti-money laundering obligations that attach to property transactions.
The firm conducts real estate litigation: title disputes, claims between co-owners, disputes with developers and contractors, claims arising from defective construction, and eviction and rent recovery proceedings. Where a negotiated settlement is available on acceptable terms we say so, because in this sector the cost of the proceedings is frequently a material part of the dispute.