Landlords will soon be limited by the number of tenants they can rent their property to, as the government moves to reducing overcrowding in shared accomodation.

Housing Minister Roderick Galdes told Times of Malta on Monday the government was planning on amending the rent law and introducing the concept of inspections of rented accomodation.

The amended law would also give the housing watchdog the power to refuse to register an owner found to have abused past tenants. 

Galdes was however scant with details: it is not yet known what formula the government will be implementing to limit the number of tenants, or how and when inspections will be carried out. 

He said the proposed amendments will be presented in parliament "in the coming weeks".

Galdes warned that the authorities will be "firm" with abusive  landlords.

In June, Times of Malta reported how foreign workers were paying up to €250 a month each to share a single apartment in Sliema with 40 other people. Following the report, the Planning Authoroty had said it was “issuing an enforcement notice”. 

The Housing Authority also raised the issue in a recent study, noting that some migrant workers could be resorting to shared accommodation in cramped conditions because they were being discriminated against. 

Last month, Galdes said rent laws will be amended to stop “human rights abuses” and to strengthen the HA’s rights to carry out inspections. 

700 families to benefit from an increase in rent assistance 

Galdes was speaking to Times of Malta following a press conference on the 2024 budget measures linked to social housing and property.

One of the budget measures includes an increase in social housing benefits. 

For single people, the benefits range from €3,600 to a maximum of €4,200. A family with one child can receive between €4,800-€5,400, and families with at least two children can receive between €5,000 to €6,000.

Galdes said that around 700 families will benefit from this increase.