The proposed reform on protected rents is increasingly being considered as a major social reform in our country, as it will be protecting and assisting 10,000 families. These families, many of them elderly, will have their right to decent accommodation safeguarded, should the need emerge for government assistance. Simultaneously, the reform will be repairing the injustice imposed on the landlords that has been occurring since the Second World War and the post-war era.
During a meeting with the General Workers Union, Minister for Social Accommodation Roderick Galdes stated that in the face of a legal regime which was going against the constitution, the status quo was never an option.
“The fundamental rights of landlords were being violated, and consequently the security and stability of families in pre-1995 rents were compromised. To this end, we felt that the state should shoulder social responsibility instead of the owners. This social reform gives back certain rights to landlords but does not abandon the tenant,” said Minister Roderick Galdes.
Under this reform, those living in pre-1995 rents who are found to be in need of protection will be given a strong benefit which shall ensure that they do not pay more than a quarter of their income on rental payments. Tenants who are pensioners will be receiving assistance to cover the whole rental increase.
Josef Bugeja, the Secretary General of the General Workers Union, said that the GWU is welcoming this reform, and noted that this was the next step after the first reform carried out in this legislature on the liberalized rental market. He continued by stating that in the past months the GWU had the opportunity to meet with both landlords and tenants, and he believes that the fairness that this reform is promoting is the way forward for the interests of all.
The GWU reiterated that the social reform, especially the protection guaranteed to elderly tenants, brought reassurance and much needed certainty.
Minister Galdes concluded that this social reform has found an adequate balance between the interests of all, thus removing uncertainties that have dragged on for decades without sowing new fears.
