Foreigners made homeless despite paying €16,000 rent
Angered interns... (from left) Alexia Kousiouris, Huseyn Ak, Boaz Post, Tatjana Koch and Manuela Smits. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Sixteen young foreigners were made homeless last week when they were evicted for not paying their rent, despite having paid more than €16,000 to a middleman.
Nobody has assumed blame as the spokesman for the Paceville resort where they were staying said that contractual payments were not honoured by the German agent, who in turn threatened to open a court case against the hotel.
The Sunday Times met six Dutch and German student interns yesterday, who said they each signed a contract with the company Malta Rooms and paid sums of between €950 and €2,115 to cover their deposits and rent for the duration of their stays.
The interns, who arrived in Malta on different dates over the past few months, were placed by Malta Rooms in shared apartments at La Vallette Resort in Paceville.
They were unaware of any problems with rent payments until they arrived back from work last Monday and found messages on their doors telling them to contact the manager. It turned out there was a dispute between Malta Rooms and La Vallette Resort.
According to the interns, when they called the manager on Monday, they were informed that their rent for November had not been paid and if they did not pay it they would have to move out.
They met with the manager the following morning at 9am and when they said they would not pay more money they were informed they would have to move out within one hour.
“It was such a shock. Some of us had to check into different hotels while others managed to stay with friends,” said 19-year-old Dutch intern Manuela Smits.
“When I went to hand in my keys at the reception, I saw that the police were there because some people were refusing to leave,” she added.
The interns filed a complaint about their eviction at St Julian’s police station last Monday. The police did not respond to questions sent by The Sunday Times about the case.
The interns who met with this newspaper yesterday are in Malta until December and January, but all of them considered leaving early because of their eviction.
“My parents were really worried and wanted me to go home,” said Ms Smits, as the others nodded their heads and told similar stories.
They have repeatedly tried to contact the owner of Malta Rooms, a German woman named Jasmin Voss.
Ms Voss has been ignoring their calls, but she did send them an SMS offering them new accommodation which they would have to pay for.
Tatjana Koch, a 25-year-old German, said she saw Ms Voss in person last Thursday after Ms Voss herself had filed a police report against La Vallette Resort.
“She (Ms Voss) seemed very emotional and distressed about the whole thing,” said Ms Koch.
Ms Voss has sought legal advice and yesterday said she would file a court case against La Vallette Resort to seek legal remedies for her clients and her business.
“I want to take this opportunity to apologise publicly to my clients who were victims of this incident,” she said.
However, she would not say how much of the money paid to Malta Rooms by the interns had been paid to La Vallette Resort.
A spokesman for La Vallette Resort said Ms Voss “has not honoured the contractual payments she agreed to on behalf of malta-rooms.com”.
The spokesman said the resort did not ask the interns to pay for past accommodation dues owed by Malta Rooms, and they offered the young foreigners the chance to remain in their apartments if they were willing to pay the resort directly from last Monday onwards. The resort also said it gave the interns three days’ notice before their eviction, a claim denied by the students.
La Vallette Resort filed a complaint against Ms Voss at St Julian’s police station on November 10
The evicted interns are unsure of who is to blame, “but we have lost a lot of money and want it back from whoever is responsible,” said Ms Koch.
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T. Bonello
Mar 26th, 15:36
"Hotel breached contract when it evicted students"
26 Mar 2013, The Times, Malta, Patrick Cooke Waylon Johnston
John Thomas
Feb 3rd, 16:02
This will definitely create a precedent. God help our wise Judges and in this case a Magistrate. The Magistrate presiding the case, Magistrate Dr. Ian Farrugia has shown great ability, and fairness in applying the law. The area of Paceville, is as has been described; 'An area with a lot of work', and in lay men terms; 'The wild wild west'. Enforcement is at its minimum, even with a contingent.
Hüseyin Ak
Nov 20th 2012, 10:30
“I want to take this opportunity to apologise publicly to my clients who were victims of this incident,” she said.
I don't want your apologise, We want our money back.
Gary Beal
Nov 19th 2012, 05:58
No surprise. I have to constantly question everything my landlord does or says. He has tried to rip me off several times: from charging a full rate on electric when I am single, the monthly rate on the electric meters, to trying to scam money from me at every turn. Just like the cabbies. (take eCabs!). You reap what you sew and all these things reflect on the Maltese and your island, not 1 or 2.
M Cachia
Nov 19th 2012, 14:03
I love the fact that you assume this is a Maltese person's fault when the hotel has not been paid by a company run by a German. I would like you to point out any international Hotel that would keep you in accommodation if they have not been paid.
Ps - what do you mean 'monthly rate on the electric meters' (sic); do you mean you expect not to pay meter rent!!
wendy isaac
Nov 19th 2012, 23:31
Absolutely right Gary Beal, problem there are two tier sections on the islands one for the locals & the other for the outsiders, and i happened to fall on the latter, but i guarantee most of us have seen the light and it will not last for ever.
Gary Beal
May 10th, 08:32
M. Cachia - I expect to be told I have to assume the bill he already pays, but if I do that I expect him to put 1 and not 0 on the bill just so he can avoid telling the tax man he's collecting rent. So here I am paying for both. Just the fact Enemalta can charge me 30% more because I am a foreigner, (investing and training locals by the way), doesn't mean I am open prey.
Gary Beal
May 10th, 08:36
How would you feel if you came to my town, Ohio, and we said you are paying more for everything cuz you ain't from these parts? And you were continually taken advantage of. I AM here opening a business that will employ and train dozens of unskilled Maltese citizens and bring in hundreds of thousands in tax and National Health Insurance, and millions in retail spend. AND I can't even get an ID card
Joe Grech
Nov 18th 2012, 22:09
A job for the Minister for Tourism Dr. Mario DeMarco to solve?
twanny borg
Nov 18th 2012, 17:38
il-ministeru tat-turizmu ghandu jidhol fil-kaz biex ma ssirx hsara lil malta jara jekk hemmx xi nuqqasijiet u minn min. il-pulizija aktarx ma jidhlux ghax huwa kaz civili pero obbligata bil-ligi li tghin.
Francis Grech
Nov 18th 2012, 17:32
when my partner and I had to pay extra for the hired car and also for our breakfast and evening meal which I paid in advance in the UK further more some of the hotels that we stayed in also charged me twice on my Visa card with out me having to sign, for facilities that I and my partner were suppose to have used like swimming pool and wait for this the gym we are both in our 70s so there ,
Gary Beal
May 10th, 08:45
Its like the situation with ECabs Malta. A great company that saw an opportunity to become elite, simplly by not ripping people off and being professional.Not driving like its a race & eating.The white cabs still rip tourist off every day and have a monopoly at the Airport,but from there they are monitored.Any place else it's like bartering with a gypsy.GO ECABS!!(I am one of their biggst clients)
A.Felex Busuttil
Nov 18th 2012, 17:27
Very simple they have to make sure with whom they deal in Malta. Some hotels are ruthless
R. Cilia
Nov 18th 2012, 21:10
Why are you assuming that it is the hotel's fault? Would you house someone free of charge?
Francis Grech
Nov 18th 2012, 17:19
Well Mike Dobson I as a Maltese took offence for your comment blaming the Maltese for what had happened to these young people as it is not clear who is to blame these things happen all over the world specially in your country the UK I presume it happened to me only 3 weeks ago when I booked all inclusive driving Holiday to visit the USA I paid up front to one reputable high street travel con-
Victor Pulis
Nov 18th 2012, 16:54
Are there no signed receipts of the money changing hands? Why is it so difficult to trace in whose pocket the money ended up?
Mark Mercieca
Nov 18th 2012, 17:32
Could it be that there was no VAT receipt? Not exactly uncommon in Malta!!!!
Lucienne Dimech
Nov 18th 2012, 16:42
How really hospitable we can be to foreigners
Gary Beal
May 10th, 08:39
A bit more on the side of graciousness rather than malice I would say. Some of us aren't here sucking your tax funds dry, we are here generating six to seven figures in spendable income training unskilled citizens, and spending our money at your friends and relatives shops. I didn't read where they did anything wrong except trust the wrong person. And there are plenty here
B Attard
Nov 18th 2012, 16:40
Isn't this indirect theft? Shame on who's responsible.
Michael Camileri
Nov 18th 2012, 15:47
Seems a little suspect that the website is not working
andrew spiteri
Nov 18th 2012, 15:45
is this what malta( din art helwa) has became the last couple of years SHAME
m. borg (slm)
Nov 18th 2012, 15:27
I believe this is a matter to be sorted out by the companies involved and leave the tenants to enjoy the benefits of the service they bought and payed for.
What if I go and buy a TV set should it be taken back because the retailer di not pay the wholesaler?
What a mentality, no wonder we can never become european because we think with our posterior instead of our heads.
John Azzopoardi
Nov 18th 2012, 13:34
This is awful. If they paid and they got burned, the government should have made it its business to house them somewhere till they returned to their country of origin.
G Falzon
Nov 18th 2012, 15:41
Mr Azzopardi
Why the government, i.e. the citizens (me and you included)? How does the Government feature in this private business and litigation? You mean to say that the Government should offer housing to anyone who gets kicked out because of a rent litigation? Are you serious!?
mario delicata
Nov 18th 2012, 16:50
The goverment has nothing to do with it. Why should we pay taxes for other mistakes . The dispute is between private parties. This mentality that the goverment has to address any problem that arises from the private sector, is stupid. Thats communist mentality .
B. Storace
Nov 18th 2012, 10:39
Another scam, more negative publicity and the wheel keep turning.
mike Dobson
Nov 18th 2012, 11:08
Look* Listen and Learn my friend, getting money back from the> Maltese <is like drawing blood out of a stone impossible, same i presume with the illegal VAT scam by the local government, lets see if Mr.Muscat adhere to his promises if elected,some 19,000 souls would be more then grateful including myself, REMAINS TO BE SEEN, CAUSE ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY -IF IT WAS ALL A WASTE OF TIME.
Good Luck>
Michael Camileri
Nov 18th 2012, 15:40
Mike, hear hear!
Mr mike Knight
Nov 18th 2012, 20:23
I second your motion Mr.Dobson, oh and well put together. i agree 100%.
Please choose the reason of your report below: