Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Sunday played down concerns about the role of architects and the expenses involved in the new construction rules pushed through by the government last week.
Speaking in an interview on ONE radio, Dr Muscat said architects themselves had acknowledged that the construction industry was in crisis following a spate of building collapses linked to adjacent construction works.
The Prime Minister said the new rules simply specified procedures that were already meant to be adhered to.
“We are making sure everyone is shouldering responsibility, not just simply signing off on a piece of paper”.
Dr Muscat said the main point of contention was the role of the site technical officer.
He dismissed concerns that this would mean architects had to be on site all the time.
Architects, he continued, would only have to be on site when crucial decisions and actions were taken, such as the tearing down of a building.
On the complaints about the expenses involved to comply with the new law, Dr Muscat said many of the requirements in the method statement were already meant to be complied with prior to the regulations brought into force last week.
“One wonders what method statements were being produced prior to this”.
Dr Muscat clarified that other qualified personnel, such as engineers, could also occupy the role of site technical officer.
Rent reforms
Turning to the government’s proposed rent reforms, Dr Muscat said the law would offer more stability to tenants.
Rental contracts will now have to be drawn up for a minimum one-year period at a pre-agreed price, offering more stability to tenants.
Landlords wishing to exit the contract would be able to do so as long as they gave tenants three months’ notice.
If such notice was not given, the rental contract would remain in force, Dr Muscat said.
Landlords, he said, would be encouraged to enter into longer-term contracts with an in-built index-linked increase in the rent.
Dr Muscat said landlords who entered into such agreements would be offered tax credits.
Another reform will see the obligatory registration of all rental contracts.
Landlords who failed to register their contracts would be liable to “hefty” fines.