Redemption of ground rent

During February, four letters appeared within a fortnight highlighting the plight concerning old rents and ground redemption.

Most residences in Malta and Gozo are owner occupied; redeeming revisable ground rent from the Joint Office has posed a big problem. Notwithstanding "subsidies", it is not considered feasible to pay a princely sum to redeem the ground rent.

The phrase "perpetual revisable ground rent" was the order of the day during the 1960s. Large areas of land which were owned by the Church were made available for social housing and a clause in the contract of sale was imposed on the buyers.

"Perpetual" and "revisable" are not synonymous, and a win-win solution which would render some millions of lira to the Maltese government should be sought. Most Joint Office ground rents are due for revision within the next decade. Will the government act now to alleviate the burden on deserving house owners?

On the subject of old rents, these properties should be inspected in the presence of owners and tenants, and individual reports drawn up. Moreover, the correct income and financial position of the tenant, besides other details, should be established.

Some tenants who own other properties and rent them at high prices have never had it so good - occupying other persons' properties for over half a century at a pittance rent.