The government is expected to issue by the end of the summer further clarifications to the freehold law regarding the registration of apartment units and co-ownership of common areas. 'There's one important thing missing [in the law] regarding ownership of a building,' says Habib al-Mulla & Company legal consultant Ziad Touma. 'The reference to ownership of storeys and units is not clear. Legislation should provide for separate registration of each unit.' Current rules state that ownership of apartments should be listed in the land register as a sub-unit of the building. The responsibility of developers and owners for shared areas such as corridors, lifts and swimming pools has also yet to be defined.

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