Illegal rent increases, undocumented subletting and overcharging of utility bills are common issues experienced by tenants in Fiji.
This, according to a joint statement released yesterday by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC).
UNDP and FCCC said tenants were often uncertain about their rights and “afraid to talk about it” and the issue was compounded by the “continuing economic crunch caused by COVID-19’s impact on Fiji”.
Through the Rights, Empowerment and Cohesion (REACH) for Rural and Urban Fijians Project, UNDP and FCCC said residents were being empowered with knowledge of governing laws, their rights and responsibilities as tenants and those of landlords.
Residents in overcrowded informal settlements faced the absence of land tenure security, precarious or non-existent infrastructure, poor housing conditions, pollution, hygiene, and sanitation.
REACH awareness raising and service delivery have begun targeting densely populated informal settlements in urban and suburban areas in the Suva-Nausori corridor.
UNDP and FCCC said plans to do the same in informal settlements around the country were already being formulated.
During the REACH missions held so far, communities accessed knowledge and services on health and hygiene related to COVID-19, sexual and reproductive health for women and girls, and social welfare schemes.
Technical support, psychosocial trauma, and stress counselling were also provided to residents living with disabilities. FCCC chief executive officer Joel Abraham said communities were also reminded that rent increase was illegal under the Rent Freeze Order which has been extended to December 31, 2020.
UNDP Pacific office in Fiji resident representative Levan Bouadze thanked the Australian government “for its generous support for the initiative, and Fiji’s Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation for taking lead with more new partners and continuing as its program”.
