[WATCH] Proposed rent law reform will create more litigation, Bernard Grech says
Bernard Grech says opposition will present amendments following internal discussion
Opposition leader Bernard Grech has said that government’s proposed reform regarding the pre-1995 rent law will create more litigation.
On Saturday government announced that landlords of properties bound under pre-1995 leases will be able to claim up to two per cent of the property’s market value in rent
Government will be paying the additional rental costs thousands of families are expected to face as a result of constitutional challenges to Malta’s rent laws.
Almost 10,000 families will be affected by the reform.
The total outlay is expected to be €1 million in the first year, €3 million in the second, and €5 million in the third year.
The Nationalist leader said that more needs to be done from government’s end so that people, especially the elderly, are not left homeless.
“Government must look to provide an alternative accommodation. This will not only help owners to take back their property, but also ensures that no one is left without a home,” he said.
Grech went on to say that the proposed reform is a “copy-paste law” from the 2018 legislation on temporary leases.
“We will continue to discuss the issue internally so that we have a clear direction as an opposition. We want to also ensure that we present the best amendments for the sake of Maltese and Gozitan families,” he said.
READ ALSO: Government to pay rental costs for families on pre-1995 leases in major reform