• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Isles of the Left

For socially just, egalitarian and greener Malta

Menu
  • Home
  • Manifesto
  • About
    • WHO WE ARE
    • CONTACT US
  • Magazine
    • LONG READ
    • CULTUREEverything you like to know about culture
    • ECONOMY
    • ENVIRONMENT
    • SOCIETY & POLITICS
    • EDUcation & OPPortunity
    • SEXUALITY & GENDER
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • HUMOUR
    • POETRYPoetry and essays
    • VOICES
  • Reading Lists
  • Podcasts
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Rent Regulation for a Fairer Society

February 27, 2018 · The IotL Magazine ·

A coalition of seventeen organisations working in different sectors calls for rent regulation in Malta.

 

A coalition of seventeen organisations working in different sectors has launched a document with a Proposal for Rent Regulation in Malta. In a press statement, the coalition criticised the fact that “Malta has almost no regulation in the rental market, and the law of the jungle currently applies. This is forcing many tenants to lead precarious lives, with only temporary roofs over their head and no place to call home. There is a pressing need for rules in the rental market in order to establish some fairness and to create more stability.”

The key points of the proposal are:


1. Creating a national registry of property on the rental market


2. Tax on empty rentable property

Under the proposed model the State would introduce an annual tax on:

  • Property that can be rented (rentable) but is not placed on the rental market. A separate registry of non-rentable property should be created in which owners will have to choose from a set of reasons as to why their property is not rentable. This should be done according to clear rules to prevent abuse, such as a rule stating that a property owner cannot have more than one summer residence.
  • Property which is placed on the rental market but is left empty for the largest part ofthe year (for example, more than 6 months over a year)

3. A tax regime that incentivises long-lets through lower tax rates for longer leases

  • Short-lets: 0 to 2 years – taxed at 25%
  • Medium-lets: 2 to 5 years – taxed at 20%
  • Long-lets: 5 to 10 years -taxed at 15%, minus 1% for each additional year over 5 years up to 10 years.
  • Longer-lets: More than 10 years – taxed at 10% minus 0.5% for each additional lease year, up to a reduction of 5% tax.

4. The contracts are expected to abide by the following rules:

  •  Landowners are to register the first price set in the first contract which will be considered The Initial Price. This value determines the range of capping applied to further increase in rent-price.
  • Landlords are allowed to increase rent-prices yearly during the duration of a contract only by a percentage that does not exceed the cost-of-living-increase percentage.
  • The rent-price should reflect the Rent Price Index that lists prices in 1) different areas and 2) for different classes of property according to their size and quality. Landlords are to input in the state registry specifications pertinent to their property. An initial price should not exceed 10% of the price listed for that particular category within the Rent Price Index.
  • A system for the termination of contracts similar to that outlined in employment law.
  • Provisions for clear rules on deposited money, payment of utility bills and upkeep of property.
  • Protection for persons on existing lease agreements.

5. Law should provide a legal standing to a tenants’ union that will be included as one of the
social partners.

 


6. Provisions on discrimination

People should be legally protected from discrimination based on personal characteristics such as disability, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, etc. in any part of the renting process. Sanctions should apply to any discriminatory practice such as discriminatory clauses in contracts and evictions, or refusal to rent, based on discrimination.


The proposal was endorsed by

  • Moviment Graffitti
  • Alleanza Kontra il-Faqar 
  • Forum Komunita’ Bormliża
  • Malta Tenant Support
  • Malta Humanists Association
  • The Millennium Chapel
  • Żminijietna – Voice of the Left
  • aditus Foundation
  • Malta Gay Rights Movement
  • The Critical Institute
  • Spark 15
  • Mid-Dlam għad-Dawl
  • Women’s Rights Foundation
  • African Media Association Malta
  • Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust
  • Integra Foundation
  • Third World Group Malta
  • Isles of the Left

 

Read More!

Tagged With: housing

The IotL Magazine

stands for a socially just, egalitarian and greener Malta.

View all posts

While we have you...

...We have a high opinion of our readers and thus post no clickbait. If you like what you read here, kindly help us to protect our content from the bias of social media filters. Not to miss any of our posts, hover over the button "Following" on our Facebook page and check "See first", "Notifications - All On". That way we will always feature on your timeline.

Thank you!

Primary Sidebar

    POPULAR ARTICLES

  • Promise & Betrayal: A Former American University of Malta Lecturer Speaks Out
    May 31, 2018
    By Former lecturer at AUM
    We were given time-consuming tasks to complete over the holidays, including the organization of Spring’s student orientation. Little did we...
  • Ħamalli And Non-Ħamalli: A Tale Of Two Public Spheres
    December 12, 2017
    By Bernard Cauchi | 2 Comments
    Why we dismiss experiences of people whose tastes and behavior do not fit the accepted norms. (more…)
  • Parenting Dilemmas: State or Private Schools?
    May 30, 2018
    By Rita M. | 11 Comments
    Here, for the record, I will spell out what nobody in this country seems even remotely willing to mention: how...
  • What Does it Mean to Be a Foreigner in Malta?
    April 12, 2018
    By Raisa Galea | 5 Comments
    Although they are uniformly referred to as “foreigners”, foreign nationals receive contrasting treatment, depending on their social status and nationality....
  • The Not-So-Maltese Cross
    January 17, 2018
    By Michael Grech | 2 Comments
    How the emblem of debauched foreign aristocracy became the ultimate symbol of Maltese identity. (more…)
My Tweets

 Essential  Read:           

Racist Rants, ‘Authentic Emotions’ and Fake News

Kathrin Schödel

 Get Our Top Stories
 Right in Your Inbox 
 

 Our  Friends: 

Footer

WE ARE:

-.. . -.. .. -.-. .- – . -.. / .- -. -.. / . -. – …. ..- … .. .- … – .. -.-.

Raisa
Galea
Michael
Grech
Kurt
Borg
Francois
Zammit
Rachael
Scicluna
Josephine
Burden
Daiva
Repečkaitė
Joseph
Abela
Martin
Galea
Abigail
Muscat
Bernard
Cauchi
Alicia
Said
Maria
Theuma

WE FOLLOW:

WE DISCUSS:

agriculture work culture cryptocurrency free software commons Bluefin tuna collective organising internet of things taboo EU Commission poverty emancipation British rule modern love imperialism diversity Tesla journalism politics rent control Sette Giugno Malta Housing Association clientelism theatre

For a socially just, egalitarian and greener Malta © 2023 · Log in

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.