A considerably high proportion of the Maltese population - over 17 per cent - lives in low rent-controlled housing, while 12.7 per cent own property whose rent is pegged at a very low level because it is controlled by the notorious 1939 rent laws.
However, a rather high percentage - over 34 per cent - agree that such rents should remain frozen, while 65.7 per cent disagree. Even so, somewhat paradoxically, a very large majority - 83 per cent - believe that, as a general rule, rent should always reflect the commercial value of a property.
These are some of the findings of a survey - the ninth in a series - carried out by Professor Mario Vassallo on behalf of The Sunday Times.
As usual, 300 persons were interviewed by telephone in the survey.
Rent reform was among the areas which the re-elected Nationalist government promised to tackle, as officially announced in the President's address at the state opening of Parliament on May 24.
A very high majority - 85 per cent - however, believe that Government and Opposition should work together to reform the rent laws. Only 15 per cent think the government should go it alone.
An interesting finding is that 58.3 per cent believe that the low-rent tenancy should not be inherited automatically, without an increase in rent, by a person who is living with the tenant when the latter dies.
More than two-thirds of respondents consider it unjust that, on inheriting a low-rent property, one should pay tax on its commercial value.
And only just over a third - 35 per cent - think the owner of low-rent property should pay for extraordinary maintenance works.
A majority do not agree that tenants of low-rent housing should be subsidised irrespective of who is going to enjoy the subsidy, and insist that subsidies assist only those who really need them if rents were to be allowed to increase. And 70 per cent disagree with the current situation whereby Government has the power to increase the rent of business premises it owns, whereas a private owner cannot.
However, 61.7 per cent believe that if private owners are given the right to increase the rent of business premises, provision must be made for the recognition of goodwill.
When asked to comment on the findings, Professor Vassallo said: "Successive governments have indicated their willingness to tackle the rent issue, the root of which now goes back for more than half a century. Despite the expressed willingness, however, the determination to do so fizzles out and no action has ever been taken in respect of old rents."
He added: "The consequence of this inaction is injustice to property owners and a false social policy because it is simply not true that rent legislation is protecting the needy. Social change has made the existing protective mechanism outdated and in many instances unnecessary, many Maltese are very explicitly stating through the findings of this study.
"One does hope that at least in this area, Government and Opposition will find the strength to act together, as they are expected to by many Maltese who would like a different style of politics for Malta", Professor Vassallo concluded.