Changes to rent regulations announced by government

The rules regulating the redemption of ground rents in government owned properties will be simplified, the Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Administrative Simplification, Michael Farrugia said. 

Farrugia said the simplification would remove injustices created by the previous regulations.

The previous regulations time-barred the applications for the redemption of ground rents and tenants who applied years ago are currently unable go through with their applications.

On the other hand, Farrugia explained, other tenants who applied years later, were given the go ahead in two months and could sell the property to third parties immediately.

"This was possible because of the changes undertaken which gave tenants who applied during a certain period an advantage over other tenants who applied years earlier," Farrugia said.

The time limit, Farrugia explained, kicked in as of the daye when the application file was completed.

However, one of the changes proposed by Farrugia will see the time limit commence from the date on which the application is submitted.