The Landlords and Tenants Information Referral Center […]

The Landlords and Tenants Information Referral Center (LTIRC) has called for increased public awareness over the importance of tenancy agreements in terms of hiking rentals. He bemoaned the high level of illegality that is being exhibited in the housing sector and the lack of agreement between the tenants and landlords, which often leads to disputes.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times (ZBT), LTIRC Director Roban Muke observed that the center has been receiving numerous complaints about the unjustified hikes from aggrieved tenants. “The law is straightforward: to have the increase in rentals, there should be an agreement. At our center we receive numerous cases of tenants complaining, but most of the hiking is done without formal agreements, which is quite difficult,” he revealed.

He also observed that most of the landlords just hike prices without due maintenance of the property, which is very unfair for the tenants. “What has he or she done for the particular property? Yes, it is justified to hike rentals for up to 15 percent. Yes, but the conditions of the property must be consent. What does the lease agreement state? There is a need. What about something that allows both parties to append signatures and have detailed conditionality?”

Interestingly, some sections of the members of the public, especially in informal settlements, have no regard for the agreements, thinking that they are only meant for residential areas and conditionality. “Laments. “Most of them think that a tenancy agreement is meant for the residential area, which is not the case, and there lies the biggest challenge; we need to escalate sensitization,” he concluded.

 By Samuel Mutale