Rent reform

Minister Dolores Cristina last year promised that the White Paper on rent reform would be discussed and published by the end of last January. It is nearly June and still nothing has happened.

Is this the way to be close to the people and listen to their needs? I know that this is a very delicate issue because of the impact it may have on social cases. I, for one, do not expect the government to liberalise the rent market overnight.

However, if we do not start tackling the problem now we will never solve it. One of the things that should be done immediately is to stop old couples, who are currently living alone, bringing their grandchildren to settle with them to usurp the property by inheriting the rent. It is very easy for one to change one's address on the ID card. It should be made clear for anyone who changes the address for this reason that he/she cannot inherit the rent without the owner's consent.

If the parents need care, it is their children who should take them in. After all, it is they who take their share of their pension. There should be strict observance of this rule.

However, if a child has been brought up with his/her parents in a rented house and he/she is still alive at the time of their death, then by all means, he/she should inherit the rent. The rent should be increased gradually within a time limit but the government should also do its part by subsidising or trying to reach some sort of agreement for the real social cases. I urge the minister to publish this White Paper so that we may know the government's views on this issue.