Halt abuse by ‘criminal landlords’ and regulate sector, tenants union tells government

Tenants’ union Solidarjeta is holding for a press conference this Sunday in support of illegally evicted tenants in an effort to bring a stop to “criminal landlords.”

“We invite all people and organisations sick of the abuse faced by tenants to make their voice heard and demand stronger rental regulation,” the union said.

The event, which will be held at 6pm in Triq il-Garzella, Mellieħa, is being organised after MaltaToday revealed the stories of abuse, aggression and racism received by tenants from Mellieha landlord Robert Borg and his wife.

Despite the fact that not all tenants lived under the same roof at the same time, they all told a similar story. Their landlord was very nice to them when they first met, but after just a few weeks, he became aggressive and intolerable.

After listening to the tenants' stories, a clear pattern emerged: The landlord collects the first month’s rent and deposit, they bully their tenants into leaving, refuse to give their deposit back, and find new tenants.

“Over these past few months, several of our members and other tenants have been illegally evicted and had their rent and deposit stolen, from the same property owned by the same landlord. A lack of regulation and consequences surrounding illegal evictions is encouraging criminal landlords to abuse and exploit tenants,” Solidarjeta said on Friday.

They said the stories are not a one-off, and there is a pattern of repeated abuse.

“Malta’s lack of landlord licensing allows landlords that have illegally evicted, illegally increased rent, illegally withheld a deposit, been violent and aggressive, or included illegal clauses in contracts to continue to profit from renting out property, perpetuating the cycle of abuse and exploitation,” they said.

This lack of regulation means that tenants, especially those that are vulnerable or not aware of their rights, are left defenceless by the law. “The action taken by authorities over illegal evictions is a complete grey area, and does not protect tenants that are being made homeless and penniless by criminal landlords.”

The union is calling on the government and police to take immediate action against “criminal landlords” so they can no longer continue to profit from abuse.

Solidarjeta also said it wants legislation which will bring a systemic end to criminal landlords, and stop those caught committing illegal acts from being able to rent out their property.

“This must be done through landlord licensing, where a landlord must have a license and register their rental properties, with their license being revoked if caught committing illegal acts,” they said. “It is only when these abusive and criminal landlords are stopped, and landlord licensing is put in place, that the rental market in Malta can stop being lawless, unstable and unsustainable.”

The press statement was endorsed by Moviment Graffitti, Aditus and Blue Door Education.