Most landlords were very disappointed with the amendments announced recently to the 1939 rent law.

What was the reason behind the invitation the government and the Opposition extended to the public to give its opinion and its proposals on the rent reform?

The established rent of E185 per annum is ridiculous. This means E16.45c (Lm6.66c) a month. These days one cannot even rent a one-car garage at that price. In fact, my son rents a similar garage for E23.29 (Lm10) per month and its owner has already given him notice that he will be raising the rent by E5 monthly.

In my opinion, the lowest rent for residential property should have been at least E23.29 (Lm10) monthly, which increases by 15 per cent per annum to be justified; after 10 years the landlords would have the right to reposses their lawful property for their children.

I hope that the government and the Opposition will now be very sensible and reasonable when finalising and applying the means test. The government should apply the same criteria regarding the supplementary pension and, for those tenants who have an income for more than E10,000 per annum, the rent should be E280 per annum and rise by 15 per cent per annum.

For those tenants who have other property, whether their own or rented, they should be ordered to give back one of the properties to its lawful landlord.

This should be decided by the board on the criteria of who has first claim to the property, and also that no tenant shall have more than one rented residential premises. I beg the government and the Opposition to apply fair justice when implementing and finalising the means test, with the measures applying also to the present tenants.

Joseph Sammut

BIRKIRKARA