Discussions are currently underway in parliament’s Housing Committee, with five entities, on the unified construction law No 119, said Mohammed Abdel Ghani, member of the committee,  according to Daily News Egypt.

In a meeting on the 18th of July, the committee discussed potential amendments to the law, according to Youm 7 Newspaper.

The five entities are the Ministry of Housing, the Administrative Control Authority (ACA), the Engineering Syndicate, the Ministry of Local Development, and the Egyptian Contractors Union.

The committee is currently deliberating over a stricter law for property owners who violate licenses and regulations via imposing fines, prison sentences, or higher utilities tariffs.

Law 49/1977, dubbed the old rent law, will be amended as well, Abdel Ghani said. The old law freezes the rental value and maintains the continued renewal of the initial agreement between landlord and tenant, passing the unit down through generations.

Following the amendment of the law, commercial units and shops will see a rise in rental prices.

Rented apartments that are currently vacant and fall under the old rent law will be returned to the owner, while tenants will see a gradual increase in rent prices once the new law is applied.