Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi told Parliament yesterday that the government sought that, by time, it would receive the same rent as that charged by the private sector for similar commercial establishments.

Speaking during the rent reform debate in second reading, Dr Azzopardi said the government aimed to create a grid system to enable it to establish a just rent for its commercial premises within the same area. He said it was not fair that a government shop was leased at an amount which was far less than that of a next-door private establishment.

He said the Land Department was working towards upgrading the IT system because he was not at all satisfied with the rent the government was receiving compared to what the private sector charged for similar property.

The government received an annual sum of some Lm1.5 million for its 576 commercial tenements in Valletta. This did not reflect the commercial rent, which was sometimes even 12 times higher, received by the private sector for similar establishments.

Earlier, Dr Azzopardi said the Bill sought to create a just balance between the property owners and the tenants. Also, the Bill did not give the government any advantage over private owners.

The government was, rightly, eagerly waiting the amendments which the opposition had in mind for the committee stage of the Bill, which would mean a quantum leap in the legislative regime where rent was concerned.