Landlords cannot increase rent...

Landlords cannot increase rents on their own accord - Housing Development and Administration Bureau

AMN

The Addis Ababa City Housing Development and Administration Bureau announced that nearly five hundred thousand houses have been registered in the system so far in the digital registration process that began in order to modernize the landlord-tenant relationship with technology and permanently resolve disputes in the sector.

According to the head of the bureau, Holy W/Giorgis, in a meeting with AMN; This new system will completely eliminate the unjustified increase in house rents that was made without any reasonable basis.

The full information of these rental houses that have been entered into the digital database has reached a point where it is clear which sub-city, district, and even which block they are located in.

This will prevent landlords from hiding information about their houses for rent, the head explained.

According to the new system, landlords cannot increase rents based on their own will and initiative.

The government will conduct a market study once a year that takes into account the actual conditions of the city, and when market growth is confirmed, it will determine the percentage increase in accordance with the official statement issued on June 30 of each year.

For example, the official explained; if the rent of a house is 1 thousand birr, the landlord cannot increase the price on his own will.

If the increase allowed by the government decision is only 10 percent or 100 birr, the price can be increased to 1 thousand birr only according to the same legal procedure.

She emphasized that there will be no other procedure for increasing the price.

The official, who mentioned that it has been about two years since the registration of landlord and tenant contracts began, recalled that previously, the registration was done in person by both parties.

Now, however, since the houses have been completely digitalized, extensive arrangements are being made to carry out the contract renewal process online to avoid inconvenience.

Accordingly, if the landlord and tenant want to continue with the existing contract without increasing the price, they can easily renew their contract online.

Even if the landlord tries to evict the tenant and bring in someone else just because the contract period has expired, the head said that tenants should not worry about being charged an excessive price increase since they cannot increase the price.

She stated that the market research work is currently being actively carried out and that official guidelines will continue to be implemented continuously once the final results are available.

St. George, who urged tenants to know their rights well and exercise them, stressed that landlords should not increase their fees without a legal basis just because they have increased the price.

They also emphasized that since most contracts expire after June 30, price increases are never allowed while they are still in the contract.

In general, it is mandatory to renew the lease contract properly every two years, and landlords are urged to understand their rights and obligations and respect the legal process.

It was also stated that the government will continue to strengthen the process and technological improvements it has started to address the persistent problem between landlords and tenants.

By Bereket Getachew