The Malta Independent 6 November 2024, Wednesday
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Identita reaches agreement with notaries, lawyers, on property lease agreement form

Tuesday, 17 September 2024, 13:36 Last update: about 3 months ago

Identita agency said Tuesday that following a wide series of consultations with the Notarial Council of Malta, the Chamber of Advocates, and Legal Procurators, an agreement was reached on the completion of the Property Lease Agreement Attestation Form.

The agency issued a statement in which it said that this agreement was reached following discussions on how property lease agreements presented as part of a residency permit application should be officially certified by a notary, lawyer or legal procurator.

Earlier this month, Identita issued a new lease agreement form which third-country nationals need to present when applying for residence.

Lawyers and notaries issued directives to refuse signing the new form, saying that they were not informed of the measure before it took effect, and that the document does not guarantee that the signatures on a rental contract are genuine.

"The purpose of this verification is to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided to the agency and to provide legal certainty to avoid abuses," Identita said in its statement.

It continued that every new lease agreement will be attested by the mentioned professionals, aiming to further strengthen the process for both Identita, as well as tenants and landlords.

"This should promote greater accountability from landlords and tenants and ensure that everyone adheres to the laws, while also preventing false declarations," the agency said.

The form will become mandatory starting Monday, 23 September 2024 for applications involving new leases, allowing the involved parties sufficient time to comply with the requirements.

"Identita will continue to not tolerate any abuses, and any case of abuse will be reported to the competent authorities. Identita remains committed to protecting the interests of tenants and property owners and continues to strengthen its processes to reduce abuse while promoting transparency and good governance," it said.

 


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