THE rent freeze on residential properties for another year will protect consumers from unreasonable rent increases, says the Consumer Council of Fiji.
CEO Premila Kumar said many Fijian consumers were struggling to have access to decent but low-cost housing.
With such a policy to control residential rent increases, she said consumers could breathe a sigh of relief that they don’t have to fork out extra money for rent.
Her comments followed the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism’s recent decision to extend the rent freeze until December 31 this year.
This means property owners of residential dwellings who let out their premises for rent to individuals or families could not increase rent above the level that was applicable to the same premises on December 31, 2014.
“The council is issuing a fresh reminder to all landlords to refrain from increasing rent on their residential properties unless approved by the Fiji Commerce Commission,” she said in a statement last week.
“The ploy to beat the system is well known to the council where landlords in the past, gave eviction notice to existing tenants as a way to increase the rent for new tenants who have no idea that the rent has gone up.”
She urged landlords to comply with the rent freeze order as any non-compliance could lead to prosecution by the Fiji Commerce Commission.
Mrs Kumar said property owners were at liberty to establish initial rent but any increase in rent after that must be endorsed by the Fiji Commerce Commission.
