The government has asked the Attorney General’s Office to review the “critical” situation regarding private rents.

This with a view to striking a fair balance between the fundamental rights of owners and the dire hardships inflicted on tenants if they were evicted after having made extensive investments to improve their residences.

Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici said that, at the same time, in the efforts to fix social rent levels, the resultant Bill would have to reflect court decisions which were wreaking havoc with rent laws in deference to owners.

Speaking during question time, Dr Bonnici said the government was being careful to ensure that any solution to the impasse would mean “no stratospheric rises” in rent levels.

He said the Opposition’s Beppe Fenech Adami was well abreast of what was being done and had signified his full agreement.

The results will not necessarily be universally popular

Jason Azzopardi (PN) said he was in full agreement. He had started off the discussion with supplementary questions about what was still holding up the implementation of rent reviews for Valletta shops in government property, which had to have their rents renewed every six months.

Dr Bonnici said there seemed to be an allergy coming out whenever efforts were made to put rents on a footing that was close to emphyteusis.

This said, too many owners were still getting “derisory” incomes for their properties after several years, especially when the tenants were enjoying huge turnovers.

Appealing for caution, he said the results would not necessarily be universally popular, but he was hoping that at least rents could be saved fairly.