The process to award a rental subsidy to eligible people is to be hastened, reducing it from about four months to four weeks, the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Accommodation said.

Read: Brochure reveals Malta's rental rates

Roderick Galdes said he was conscious of the challenges and problems applicants with low income faced and the measure would ensure that government assistance was immediate, mitigating the applicant’s burden.

Read: Real estate agents cannot cope with demand for cheap rental properties

The measure, he said, would affect the most vulnerable members of society.

Watch: ‘I can’t pay the rent, I’m going to take my life'

This year, the Housing Authority received 1,016 applications to its new rental subsidy scheme. The scheme applies to rent paid in the private sector by low income earners for places rented as an ordinary residence.

Rental prices for residential dwellings have gone up significantly over the past four years, spurred by a booming economy.

According to the Central Bank, only 10% of Maltese households rent at market prices but the increases have been on the radar of anti-poverty campaigners. They argue that the unbridled free market is causing new social problems as landlords seek better returns from their property.