OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 10.00am.
THE government is making a push for low-cost housing rental in a bill that abolishes rent control and sets up a host of housing rental tribunals.
The Housing Rental Bill, published this month for comment, argues that there is a general agreement that rent control curtails investment. The abolition of rent control will allow the market to operate more efficiently, providing that regulation and ”positive intervention” is still in place, the bill argues.
The bill further indicates that the housing minister could introduce a rental subsidy programme which will form part of the national housing scheme, to be separately funded by the state.
The regulation will focus on areas where the property market is not functioning properly, for example in the instance where excessive rentals are being charged or where tenant-landlord relationships have broken down. Areas to be controlled will be overseen by housing rental tribunals which will, among other things, determine reasonable rentals, appoint mediators, hold public hearings and appoint inspectors.