ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: House rents in the federal capital have risen by 60 per cent to 100 per cent in the last four years making them beyond the reach of the middle class. Property dealers and owners of houses reject the notion that the repatriation of Afghan refugees from the capital would bring rents down.
A survey done by Dawn showed that a portion of a house built on 20x50 feet plot in I-9/1 sector is available at Rs9,000 per month. Four years back the rent for the same accommodation was Rs4,500.
In 2001, a two bed-room house in the sector, could be acquired at Rs6,000 per month, but today its rent has shot up to Rs10,000. Similarly a housing unit on 30x60 feet plot is available at Rs13,000 against Rs7,500 in 2001.
A house on 30x70 feet plot is simply beyond the middle class reach as its rent has now jumped to Rs16,000 from the Rs10,000 four years ago.
In I-9/2 the situation is no different, as rent in this sector too has observed much increase. An accommodation of 20x50 feet demands Rs10,000 as against Rs6,000 in 2001. Similarly, four years ago a house of 25x50 was available at Rs7,000 but today one would find it difficult to have a house of same size at Rs7000, as at present its rent has escalated to Rs11,000 per month.
An accommodation of 25x60, 30x60 and 30x70 in the sector was available at Rs15,000, Rs16,000 and Rs 17,5000 while in 2001 its rent was just Rs8,000, Rs9,500 and Rs10,500 respectively.
In I-10/1, a single upper portion of 20x50 feet today carries a rent of Rs11,000 as against Rs6,000 in 2001. An accommodation seeker in this sector is also required to deposit one year advance rent along with two months security which makes it Rs134,200 for a person whose monthly income is just Rs15,000, leave aside those who earns Rs5,000 per month.
Rent of a portion of 25x50 feet in I-10/1 has jumped to Rs12,500 during the last four years as in 2001 it was available at just Rs7,000 per month. A lower portion of 25x60 feet was available at Rs9,000 in 2001 but in 2005 the rent rose to Rs14,000.
Like other sectors, I-8 has also registered an unprecedented increase in rent, almost more than that. A lower portion of 25x60 feet requires Rs15,000 while four years back it was available at Rs7,000 only. Interestingly, in the sector a full house of 30x60 feet is available at Rs50,000 per month with additional amount of Rs0.5 million as advance but in 2001 it carried Rs30,000 per month while its advance was just Rs180,000—six months rent.
In this sector, one must have to pay Rs25,000 per month for acquiring a portion of 35x60 feet, against Rs18000 in 2001. The other sub sectors of I-8 like I-8/1, 2 and 3 are undergoing the same trend.
In G-9, where no house of 20x50 is available, an accommodation is always sought by a person having small family. The prices of other portions of 30x60 feet was available at Rs16,000 against Rs9000 four years back. Similarly a portion of 35x50 feet is rented out at Rs10,500 in 2001 in the sector but today it is offered at Rs19,000.
In the same sector a housing unit of 35x60 feet carries a rent of Rs20,000 as against Rs11,000 four years ago. Other sub sectors are also observing the same increasing trend.
In sector G-8, a portion of 25x50 feet is available at Rs13,000 per month while in 2001 its price stood at Rs7,000 only. A house with a size of 30x60 feet carries a price of Rs15,000 while a portion of same size was available at Rs8,500. Similarly, a lower portion of 30x70 feet demanded just Rs9,000 per month in 2001, but now its rent has escalated to Rs22,000.
According to the property dealers, the rise in the rent could be attributed to influx of population into the capital, which has increased the demand of property.
“There is no law to control the house rent that is why neither the property dealers nor the owners of the houses should be blamed for the increase in rent,”