Offended landlords and the new underclass

A recent MaltaToday investigation revealed the abuse suffered by foreign workers, mostly non-EU nationals, at the hands of their landlords.

The story cast a spotlight on the suffering of what is a new underclass of third country nationals, whose legal status in the country depends on employers for work permits, and landlords for residency purposes.

The investigation followed another in-depth report some weeks earlier that looked at the abuse foreign workers were subjected to by their employers.

In both investigations, MaltaToday’s journalist spoke to the individuals claiming abuse and verified the facts with lawyers and organisations that assist these people. These were stories built on the lived experiences of people who have come to Malta to earn an honest living and found a system that makes it hard for them to claim their rights.

The picture that emerges is of an underclass that is subjected to financial abuse, suffering and anxiety—a disposable commodity that can be easily replaced. Whether we like it or not, this is the ugly face of a Malta that has thrived economically on the back of many foreign workers who have filled important gaps in the labour market. Some have even died here.

If Malta’s economy, its healthcare system, its social safety net requires foreign workers to function well, the least this country can do is ensure these people also enjoy the same rights as their Maltese counterparts. It is a question of dignity above all else.

So, it was with amazement that the story about abuse in the property rental market received backlash from property owners who felt aggrieved at the way landlords were depicted. Some who contacted this newsroom asked us to write something about abusive tenants, who fail to pay.

The Malta Chamber of SMEs also reacted to the story in a statement in which it said that 50% of tenants leave properties with unpaid bills.

In its statement, the Chamber of SMEs said that the MaltaToday article “paints an unfair and unbalanced picture of landlords” and insisted the relationship between the majority of landlords and tenants is very good.

One would presume that the landlords who contacted us directly are upright individuals, guided by ethical considerations and who live up to their legal and fiscal obligations. We also assume that the Chamber of SMEs is talking about members who shun abuse and exploitation and are transparent about their dealings.

If this is the case, these landlords need not be bothered by our investigation. The story was not about upstanding landlords but about the exploitation of migrant workers—a vulnerable group—at the hands of unscrupulous landlords.

Does this mean that there aren’t tenants who abuse? Of course not. There are tenants who cause gratuitous damage to property and refuse to pay their dues. And in these circumstances, landlords should also be protected by the law.

While we agree with the Chamber of SMEs that the legal framework governing the relationship between tenants and landlords should be fair and equitable, and any form of abuse, whether by landlords or tenants, should be addressed through appropriate, clear and effective legal mechanisms, we must not lose focus of the new underclass that is forming.

More often than not, people in this underclass are unaware of their rights, unable to fight their case because they do not know how to access justice, and even if they do seek redress, they run the risk of expulsion because their stay in Malta is dependent on having an employer and a landlord... their abusers.

It would be short-sighted to believe that such abuse does not exist. It does exist and is wider than most would care to admit. And while we have no doubt that many landlords are honest in their dealings with tenants, we also realise that it is in the interest of the greedy abusive landlords that we stop talking about the plight of vulnerable people.

But silence is not an option for us, even if it means some landlords are offended by what we write.