Unjust rent laws (2)

It is amazing to me that Malta still clings to outdated laws on rental properties. I admit I am not fully conversant with rent control laws but I believe that properties rented out prior to a certain date fall under an archaic law that basically gives the renter rights to live in the property as long as he/she wishes and that the owner is restricted from raising the rent to reflect the current reality of property values in Malta. I am also aware of a case where an individual renting a property has been in a senior citizens' residence for many years and yet the property owner cannot get their property back! I am sure that there are many more such cases. What sort of bizarre logic does the government follow to allow such nonsense from being enforced by law?

Although renters need protection from excessive rent increases and from being evicted without having a place to go to, many are enjoying someone else's property for a mere pittance. Where is the justice in that? Why shouldn't the owners receive a fair return on their property? When will Malta move from the dark ages of property rent control laws into the 20th century?

Archaic and unfair rent control laws only serve to distort the property market and to prevent people with money to invest from building more rental properties and thus easing the housing shortage. It has also been proven that rent control laws tend to result in the deterioration of properties since owners do not have any incentive to spend money to maintain and renovate buildings when a fair return is not guaranteed or indeed attainable.