Nyamagana MP, Ezekia Wenje

Nyamagana Member of Parliament Ezekia Wenje yesterday asked the government to set indicative rent for landlords to remove the shortfalls of the current system where everyone sets charges without considering the quality of the house. He said despite the presence of the law governing leasing of houses, landlords were the ones who decide on rent and payment terms.

Wenje said that it is high time the government set indicative rent to guide landlords basing on the quality and environment of the houses.

He also asked the government to reinstate the Rent Restriction Act 1984 whose nullification has caused a number of problems especially to tenants.

“It is seven years since this law was nullified. The experience shows that there are many problems which have occurred due to the absence of the law…the government should amend the law and reinstate it,” Wenje said.

Responding, Deputy Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development Goodluck Ole Medeye said although the Rent Restriction Act has been canceled there were criteria for setting the rent.

He said currently there was no law that gives the government power to set and control house rent after the nullification of the Act.

He said the problem currently faced by the government was the shortage of houses. He pointed out that the annual demand is 250,000 units, which the market cannot supply leading to the high rent.

He said under the current housing market where by the demand is high but production is low, it is not wise to control the rent.

Medeye said that the government was preparing the National Housing Policy, calling on the MPs to contribute their views for its betterment.

“It is expected that the policy will set good basis to oversee the relation between landlords and tenants in the country,” he stressed.

He said currently the relation between landlords and tenants was being governed by Land Act Number 4 of 1999.