Landlords should be able to screen potential tenants before signing a lease agreement to avoid rental discrimination, Michael Bonello, CEO of Alliance Real Estate says in an opinion article in today’s Times of Malta.
The article comes shortly after Alliance advertised a property with the warning “no Pakis, Indians, Arabs, and Filipinos” after accidentally publishing an “internal comment” instead of the property description.
The term ‘Paki’ is a derogatory term for a person from Pakistan and has also been used to contemptuously describe persons of other South Asian nationalities.
Bonello says the “discriminatory language was mistakenly published” and was a one-off incident made by a “junior employee”. However, the incident highlights issues within the rental market, he points out.
Online platforms where landlords and tenants can review each other is another proposal Bonello makes.
In his article Bonello calls for the introduction of a set of standards to be upheld by tenants, adding that greater protection should be given to landlords.
Stronger protections for landlords would allow them to rent their property with peace of mind while adhering to anti-discrimination laws, he says.
“Implementing a new national framework on lease agreements with clear terms regarding tenant behaviour, maintenance responsibilities, and eviction procedures can minimise disputes – protecting both landlords and tenants alike,” Bonello says.
He also says landlords should have access to rental history reviews and credit checks, pointing out at such systems exist abroad.
Similarly, tenants should be able to access databases where landlords are reviewed.
Bonello also calls for allowing higher security rental deposits for “higher-risk tenants” to provide financial protection against potential damages and unpaid rent.
Property owners often trust tenants with their life savings, so it is not uncommon for landlords to have concerns about the type of tenants that will rent out their property, he says.
“Will they respect the building and its other residents? Will they honour their contract and payments? Or will they trash the property, leaving me with a hefty cleaning bill, or worse?” he asks.
“Although people may come from different cultures, everyone must abide by local laws and cultural norms.”
Bonello says this is not a racial issue; it is a business matter and requires adequate policies to address it.
“Landlords are not racists. They simply want to protect and maximise their investment, just as any other investor would with any other asset,” he says.