If you rent a flat or run a shop in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, this is worth your attention. Kuwait Municipality has just ordered 263 properties in the area torn down, and the clock is already ticking.
The order went out through the official gazette, Kuwait Today, on Sunday 4 October 2026. From that date, owners have exactly two weeks to clear out and knock the buildings down themselves. After that, the Municipality steps in and does it for them – and sends the bill.
The short version
- 263 buildings in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh have been declared unsafe and at risk of collapse.
- The order was issued by the Director General of Kuwait Municipality, based on reports from the Government Center for Testing, Quality Control and Research under the Ministry of Public Works.
- Owners have two weeks from 4 October 2026 to evacuate and demolish the structures.
- If owners miss the deadline, the Municipality will carry out the demolition and recover the costs from them.
Why these buildings are being pulled down
This isn’t a random sweep. The Municipality says technical inspections found these specific buildings pose an imminent threat to lives, property and public safety – the kind of structural risk that doesn’t just sit there, it gets worse. The testing was carried out by the Government Center for Testing, Quality Control and Research, the body that handles structural assessments for the Ministry of Public Works.
Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh has a dense mix of older low-rise housing, much of it occupied by low-income workers and families. It’s also an area that’s come up before in safety-related enforcement – crowded buildings, ageing wiring, and in some cases, converted spaces that were never meant to house this many people.
What owners need to do now
- Check the official gazette (Kuwait Today, 4 October 2026 edition) to confirm whether your property is on the list. Publication in the gazette counts as official notice – the Municipality isn’t required to contact you separately.
- Start evacuating tenants immediately. The two-week window includes both evacuation and demolition, so don’t wait until the last few days.
- Arrange a licensed contractor to carry out the demolition before the deadline passes.
- Keep records of the evacuation and demolition in case of a dispute later.
Miss the deadline and the Municipality takes over – but only after confirming the building is fully vacated first. The costs of that demolition then get charged back to the owner.
What this means if you live or work there
If you’re renting in one of these buildings, start looking for alternative accommodation now rather than waiting for your landlord to sort things out. Two weeks goes fast, especially if you need to arrange a new place, transport belongings, or deal with a school-age child mid-term.
For business owners with shops or small workshops in the area, the same urgency applies. Trading from a building under a demolition order isn’t something you want to be doing when the deadline hits.
Quick answers
How do I know if my building is one of the 263?
The list was published in the Kuwait Today gazette on 4 October 2026. That publication is treated as the official notification, so it’s worth checking directly rather than waiting to be contacted.
What happens to tenants if the owner doesn’t act in time?
The order says the Municipality will ensure buildings are fully vacated before it carries out any demolition itself, so tenants shouldn’t be left inside when work begins – but it’s safer not to rely on that and to move out well before the deadline.
Who pays if the Municipality has to demolish the building?
The property owner does. The decision states the Municipality will carry out demolition at the owner’s expense if the two-week deadline isn’t met.
If you’ve got a place in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and you’re not sure where things stand, don’t wait for a knock on the door. Two weeks is short, and the Municipality has made clear it isn’t planning to extend it.