Muscat has officially banned families and bachelors from living in the same building. Muscat Municipality has also reminded landlords and property owners that local regulations prohibit workers’ and bachelors’ accommodation in residential and mixed residential-commercial areas.
What Muscat Municipality Has Said
The municipality said the restrictions are part of the regulations governing how buildings are used across Muscat Governorate. Their purpose, it explained, is to protect residential neighbourhoods and keep living conditions safe, comfortable and orderly.
In its statement, the municipality pointed to Local Order No. 23/92, which regulates building use in the governorate. Article 31(d) prohibits setting up buildings or residential complexes for workers or bachelors in residential and mixed residential-commercial areas. The same provision also bans housing families and bachelors in a single building.
Landlords Are Responsible
The municipality stressed that compliance begins before a property is occupied. Landlords and property owners are expected to check how each building is classified and make sure it is used only for its authorised purpose.
Employers have a part to play too. Businesses are required to provide suitable accommodation for their workers in designated areas, and that housing must meet health and safety requirements.
Why The Rules Matter
Muscat Municipality warned that going beyond a property’s permitted occupancy, or using a building against its approved classification, can have consequences far beyond the property itself. According to the municipality, such practices can:
- put pressure on roads, parking spaces and public facilities
- compromise health and safety standards
- disturb residents in surrounding neighbourhoods
What Tenants Should Keep in Mind
If you are renting in Muscat, it is worth asking your landlord how the building is classified before you sign. Based on the rules the municipality cited, a block approved for one purpose cannot simply be let for another. Checking early can save both sides trouble later.
A Call For Shared Responsibility
The municipality called for greater cooperation among property owners, landlords and businesses. Maintaining quality of life and protecting residential communities, it said, requires shared responsibility and compliance with the regulations already in place.
Cover Image Courtesy: CanvaPro/trabantos from Getty Images
FAQs
Which regulation does the ban come from?
Muscat Municipality cited Local Order No. 23/92, which regulates building use in Muscat Governorate.
Who is responsible for making sure the rules are followed?
Landlords and property owners must verify each building’s classification and use it only for its authorised purpose. Employers must provide suitable worker accommodation in designated areas that meet health and safety requirements.
