Control landlords

A former Housing Minister wants to see further protection of vulnerable persons renting across this island. While not calling for Rent restriction legislation, the Hon. Michael Lashley recently told the Lower House that there is need to safeguard tenants from unexpected rent increases.

“We need to control those landlords out there, who in the blink of an eye can raise rent prices sometimes out of the reach of some of these people, and indeed not compensating with an improvement of the said property,” he pointed out.

“I am saying that there must come a time that the increase of rent should be linked to the improvement or the nature of quality of the dwelling that the landlord is providing to the tenant. That is my humble submission.

“I won’t say that I want rent restriction legislation because when it was introduced in Jamaica and Trinidad it caused an informal market. Persons decided that they are not registering under the piece of legislation, that they are going on the informal market and rent to persons who have no choice to come into the dwelling,” he said.

The Member of Parliament for St Philip North and Minister of Transport and Works was at the time making his contribution to the debate in House of Assembly to approve the vesting of land at Deacons, St. Michael in the National Housing Corporation (NHC).

“Today, those people living in Deacons and in Fernihurst can say to this government thank you,” he acknowledged, also explaining that the vesting is the first step. “The second step would be getting the lawyers in the National Housing Corporation to prepare the conveyances quickly and get them into the hands of the tenants.

“I went out there with the letters and I recognised the joy emulated from those people. I recognised by giving those letters – that we said to the people you do not have to pay anymore rent, thereby giving them more disposal income.” (TL)