Minister under pressure over problems faced by BRF tenants: ‘deeply problematic’

September 8 Kuala Lumpur 13:30

Hem & Hyra can explain that tenants with housing associations as hosts face it more strictly than other tenants. They are almost four times as likely to be taken to the Tenancy Board for eviction, and have problems four times as often which mean they have to turn to a tenants’ association.

So what do politicians think? Many representatives of the Left Party have committed themselves to so-called holiday renters, and the party has several times put forward proposals to strengthen their position. The party writes that it is often the elderly, the sick, the unemployed and the single who find themselves in trouble when they cannot afford to buy their own home and that they “lose their place in the internal exchange queue” and do not have the “opportunity”. To influence their housing through meetings, meetings and more. It is also considered that housing associations in general are worse hosts than traditional housing companies.

“Exposure to harassment”

The strongest driving force on the matter is the party’s housing policy spokesman, Malcolm Momodu Jallow.

– Transfers are the main problem and there are a lot of people who end up in this difficult situation and get a weaker position than other tenants. He says they are being subjected to eviction, harassment and anything is possible.

Our figures show that tenants in housing associations are taken to the rent board for eviction more often than other tenants. Why do you think this is so?

-We know that condo associations often have a strong financial incentive to get rid of tenants. It’s not the tenant’s best interests that are being focused there, and we think that’s a very big problem.

Photo: Social Democrats

Malcolm Momodu Jallow says he wants the government to investigate the issue so they can then figure out how best to boost the position of holiday rental guests. But neither the previous Social Democratic majority government nor the current bourgeois government supported this proposal.

-I’m very disappointed about that. All renters are vulnerable to some degree, but vacation renters face specific challenges that regular renters don’t, because you’re stressing them out.

What are concrete suggestions that could be improved for vacation rental guests?

-You should investigate to find out more. But the most important thing is that before we end up in a situation with temporary tenants, we have to prevent rent transfers, and find a way to make rent transfers more difficult.

You want to create more forms of housing

Here Housing Minister Andreas Carlsson (KD) answers your home and rent questions:

The Left Party has put forward a motion to investigate the vulnerable situation of holiday charter guests, which I helped vote against. Why are you against the investigation?

– The Government does not believe that any reasons have emerged that would lead to reconsidering the need for special provisions for this particular category of tenants.

How do you deal with criticism from V, who believes redevelopment hits hard at those who can’t afford their homes?

– The government wants to enable more people to own their own homes and increase the diversity of housing types in Sweden. The model that lowers the threshold for private ownership is hire purchase, which works well in Norway for example. This gives the tenant the opportunity to gradually increase his ownership in his home. The investigator is tasked, among other things, with proposing a model for the purchase of rental housing.

“He needs equal rights.”

Jenny Nilsson is the Social Democrats’ housing policy spokeswoman, who during the party’s last government voted against a Left Party proposal to try to strengthen the position of holiday rental guests.

– Rather, it is about our need to have equal rights and obligations, regardless of who is the owner. Otherwise, there are a trillion different groups for whom special legislation might be needed, and that would likely be unfortunate and inappropriate, she says.

But despite the legislation, it looks like this – housing associations have exactly the same obligations as other landlords, but the situation for holiday tenants is much more difficult. What should you do next?

– Everyone who rents should be part of a tenant association, but for this group it becomes even more important, so that you can get professional and good support as a tenant. Even condominium associations in such a situation should really make sure that they are part of a property owners or similar organization that can help with the skills required to handle the situation.