Since 2020, the total number of rental contract across the Maltese islands has more than doubled. Housing Minister Roderick Galdes shared that in the last five years, this total has shot up from around 27,000 at the end of 2020 to over 71,000 at the start of October 2025.
Similarly, rental subsidies were noted to have increased seven times over the last seven years.
The developments and evolution of the local rental market over the last decade and a half were discussed in a recent conference, in which the Minister for Social and Affordable Housing, Roderick Galdes, listed reforms carried out within this sector in this time.
Minister Galdes said that in 2020, the government initiated a "strong reform" that paved the way for a modern rental market. He outlined that through this newly introduced legislative framework - which made registration mandatory for private rental contracts - the shortest possible lease period was established as the Housing Authority became the private rental market's regulator.
Prior to the Housing Authority being made its regulator, the private rental market had operated independently.
Minister Galdes stated that the government shall continue expanding its stock of affordable housing to reduce pressures on the private market.
The Housing Minister added that between 2017 and 2024, rent subsidies within the housing benefit scheme increased from values of €1.6 million to almost €11 million.
He continued that to foster greater stability in this market, the government had introduced fiscal incentives for long-term rentals. A panel had also been created to quickly resolve disputes between landlords and tenants through a fair and transparent process. Reforms also led to the creation of a rental register, which has become "an indispensable tool for analysing market trends, and identifying abuses and pressures on rental affordability."
Minister Galdes said that legislative amendments introduced last September, following an open dialogue with stakeholders, aimed to reduce bureaucracy, abuses, and introduce limits on the number of people who can stay in a single bedroom. He stressed that this step was necessary to strive for market equilibrium to protect the rights of both landlords and the wellbeing of residents.
The chief executive of the Housing Authority, Matthew Zerafa, noted that the rental sector has developed into a market with strong economic prospects, which is attracting much investment. He commented that the Housing Authority is using its studies and knowledge to bolster its services in a way that remains sustainable and dynamic towards the needs of the Maltese people and families in everyday life.