Families in Kuwait are building an extra floor to accommodate their newlywed children, due to skyrocketing housing prices, especially as government housing often taking years to be distributed, according to a report by Kuwait Times.
The report said that couples living in the same household as their parents has practical and emotional benefits for the couple, while also providing lower living costs as parents usually let the couple live rent-free or pay nominal rent.
However, not everyone is on board with this solution, the report said, especially as the houses exceed three floors.
Kuwait families build fourth floor
Real estate consultant Ayoub Al-Saffar said that this phenomenon is spreading among Kuwaitis due to the high cost of housing and rental apartments, as well as the slow process of distributing government houses.
He also discouraged housing exceeding three floors, as it affects the infrastructure of the area and its services.
“This phenomenon is spreading among Kuwaitis due to the housing crisis, which has forced people to build a fourth floor on top of their private houses for their newly married children to live near them and prevent paying high rent. This step is related to two main factors: The high cost of housing and rental apartments and directly related to the slow process of distributing government houses to Kuwaiti couples, which leaves newlywed Kuwaitis with no choice but to either find an apartment on rent or build an extra floor and live in with their parents,” he said.
While building an extra floor is an efficient solution, it is important to carefully consider the legal and financial implications before proceeding.
The Municipal Council has approved requests to allow Kuwaitis to build a fourth floor in their private houses, but it is based on certain regulations.
As long as building a fourth floor is not officially legalised in Kuwait, homeowners cannot benefit from the extra value that is supposed to be added to the house, because it cannot be sold, Al-Saffar said.
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