Housing Authority to increase enforcement, minister warns
The enforcement arm of the Housing Authority is to be strengthened to focus more on cutting down abuse, Social Accommodation Minister Roderick Galdes said on Wednesday.
Speaking during the debate on the estimates covering his ministry, Galdes said that no abuse will be tolerated at any time.
One could not, for example, rent his housing authority property to tourists, lie about his income or expect to never pay rent.
Budget allocations for housing have grown from €2.47 million in 2012 to €28 million this year, he said. Another €110 million is being used to build 1,700 new apartments.
Between 2013 and 2021, the authority would have invested €82 million, not including investment in capital projects.
Moreover, the waiting list for social housing was now at its lowest level in 20 years, with a list of around 3,000 applicants whittled down to around 700.
Some applicants for housing schemes had to be turned down because it was clear they would never be able to meet the required repayments, he said.
Rent laws
Turning to rent legislation, Galdes said 26,000 people had registered property rentals, giving families in such housing the opportunity to benefit from government subsidies.
Labour...