Unjust rent laws (1)

It was reported recently in the local press that a White Paper on rent law reform has been drafted and is going to be submitted to Cabinet.

I appeal to both the Nationalist and Labour parties to find a solution to this unjust rent inheritance law. After so many years, we, homeowners, have been really suffering quite a lot. As it stands now, we do not have the least ray of hope that some day in the future we may rightfully claim back our own property.

There are people who are abusing this outdated and highly unjust law. There are cases where people who own property, rent these lodgings for high yearly amounts. Meanwhile they move to live in the rented house of an aged relative or even a non-relative.

Such moves are mostly made when these relatives are nearing their death. After these relatives (or non-relatives) pass away, this present rent law provides these "helpers" with the opportunity of continuing to live in these empty houses. Poor owner! He and his descendants can never claim back the right to use the property that they inherited from their ancestors so many years before.

On the other hand, to be fair, the proposed reformed law must not throw out these tenants as soon as it comes into force. A certain time should be allowed for them to find alternative accommodation.

Finally, I am pretty sure that the majority of Members of Parliament agree that relatives of tenants such as brothers, sisters, cousins and nieces who already live elsewhere or perhaps have their own property should never be given the right to carry on living in our rented property abusively.

This socially unjust rent law should be taken seriously this time and finally abolished. We, the owners, have suffered for so long, and we humbly beg the government and the opposition to consider our just plea even though this may not go down well with certain voters. I assure all Cabinet members that these people themselves know and feel that they are abusing this unjust law. Justice has to be done. It's time now that our property will become once again available to our own children and relatives.