The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Doing this, he says, will achieve the objectives of consumer protection, accelerate growth, and lead to increased local and Foreign Direct Investment into the sector along with attendant benefits such as job creation.
“Government should further consider a holistic approach to regulating the Real Estate Sector by fast tracking the Real Estate Agents Bill alongside the current Landlord and Tenants Bill, and creating a Real Estate Sector regulator to harmoniously implement these regulations,” he said.
Some of the contentious issues in the proposed Bill
-Tenancy agreements. The proposed law stipulates that the tenancy agreement may be made in writing or by word of mouth or in the form of a data message or may be implied from the contact of parties.
-Landlords shall keep the premises maintained in good shape unless damage caused to the premises was caused by the tenant’s negligence or failure to take reasonable care.
-A tenant may carry out repairs on the premises where the nature of repairs requires urgency such as burst waster services, broken or blocked toilet systems, flooding, etc; the tenant has taken reasonable steps to arrange for the landlord to carry out the repairs and has not been able to find the landlord. Under this circumstance, the landlord will have to reimburse the costs incurred in the repairs failure of which, tenant will deduct the costs from rent of the preceding month.
-Landlords obliged to pay taxes and other rates
-Landlords shall not force tenants to pay for more than 3 months in advance
-The landlord shall not increase rent by more than 10% per annum. And in case of planned increase, the landlord shall have to give 90 days’ notice.
Do these cabinet ministers own any properties in this country? Why would they seem to only favour the tenants as if landlords are not supposed to benefit from their sweat. There is really nothing much one can do if they cannot build their own houses. Once not happy with one landlord move on to the next with hope of forging relationship. Otherwise as the bill is it will deter people from construction residential and commercial properties for fear of marginalisation hence keep the housing deficit as high as 8m as it stands now.