Rashid Mohammed Al-Fozan
Al-Riyadh
It seems as if the debate revolving around the housing issue will never end. This is good in my opinion, as it will help the Ministry of Housing produce radical solutions, because the solutions the ministry has come up with so far have yet to become reality. The latest solution that has been discussed is a study which suggests that the ministry should build 150-square-meter housing units. However, the ministry quickly denied that this was true and stated that there was no such study and that nothing has yet been decided. The idea of having a 150-square-meter house is rejected by many who say that it is a small area that does not suit a family, despite the fact that there are many apartments nowadays that are the same size and are very popular.
What I would like to ask is why people insist on having large houses? I understand the need for some to have a 300-, 400- or even 500-square-meter house, but the question is: Can everyone afford to live in a house that large? Yes, some people might be able to afford it, but not everyone. Before talking about what house suits you or what you are looking for, you must ask if your income covers the cost of maintaining a large housing unit. Does it cover maintenance, electricity and domestic services annually?
There must be some sort of balance between a person’s income and what he is looking for in a house in terms of space. There must be an awareness that a house is not free of cost. There are maintenance, cleaning and other expenses that cost a lot of money. Can you afford these? For instance, a house of 500 square meters costs at least SR500 to SR700 a month for electricity for a family of five. There might also be a domestic worker and a driver. Can we truly expect that this house will suit someone who makes SR5,000, SR7,000 or even SR10,000 a month? This requires a lot of thinking, free from emotion.
It’s important for everyone that there is coherence and balance between the level of income and the size of housing. Those who can afford to pay the expenses on a 1,000-square-meter house should do so and those who cannot should look for a smaller house. We need balance and objectivity to match financial capabilities with actual needs.
