Rent freeze

I am on a hunt for houses for rent in Labasa for the past few days, and I wish to share the experiences and challenges I encountered.

Firstly, I wish to categorically thank your good newspaper for publishing the Rent Freeze extension on the Fiji Sun dated Saturday (20/01/18). This is Labasa, if one has to compare the market rate than a good example is the rent levied by a normal threebedroom government quarters inclusive of a maid's room that does not charge beyond four hundred dollars. However, this is not to be the case. Rents are levied way more than the expected market rate.

And this is my experience, a landlord with a sigh of relief in his face ignorantly shares that government has finally lifted its rent freeze after 10 years and happily justifies his reasons for the increase. Upon informing him of the stay order he remained utterly defensive. Indeed, ignorance is bliss. Moreover, a learned landlord decided after adding a few vibrancies into her new choices of glamorous house paints nearly doubled her rent, which leads me to the pertinent questions of some banks integrity upon noticing the quick repayment abilities being done at the expense of their client's tenants who silently and in most cases unknowingly endure the mystery that they are solely making payments for their landlord's loan. Can such banks contentedly receive this payment without an inkling that they are simply non compliant to the Government's directive? But I know because after all they are just banks. However, I am confident that certain banks approve loans on the clients' payment abilities as per their pay and not entirely from the rent payment, which could be largely commercially uncertain.

Others stated about their upper market locality, which is the reason of their current unwarranted charge. If this is to be the case than this would only qualify a handful of houses, which are mostly fully occupied with its owners. The rest are only capitalising under the circumstance.

Some completely indifferent to the fact that at this very moment a rent freeze is obviously in place, which I simply don't know why. It is with much reluctance that I have to present this to your good newspaper with the understanding that this would certainly bring to light some unscrupulous acts by some among us, moreover of course, it would hinder my chances of being given a to let agreement, but I dare voice this grievance on behalf of my fellow citizens who might be enduring the same plight that I am in.

On the same note I seek a clarification from relevant authorities on those who have been partially renovated if there are loopholes under the current freeze, which could give them the green light to increase, or in other case, if it is to be a new landlord or owner, can they increase the rent levy as charged by previous landlords or owners. I personally request a Government clarification for those who seem to be unaware or simply ignorant of the recent extension.

Finally, I must also thank the majority of landlords whose tenants have been happily renting their properties for years contentedly abiding with the Governments' benevolent approach.

I wish to voice the disappointments of the residents of Natabua Housing community regarding the damage done to the two bus shelters caused by reckless and careless driving. One of the shelters that serve the students of St Thomas, Natabua Primary, the Fiji National University (FNU) and residents of Natabua stage 2 community, was damaged by a driver of a delivery truck last year. Although Police were involved in the reporting, nothing has been done to repair the tilted shed which is now a hazard to the public, especially our school children.

We wrote to the company and visited their Lautoka office seeking answers, yet no one wants to accept the blame. While the Natabua Stage 2 bus shelter is still in a bad shape, a bus driver slammed his bus into the other bus shelter that serves the FNU, Natabua Primary and residents of Natabua Stage 1 community, two weeks ago. Although it is directly opposite the Natabua Police Post, the officers' powers and efforts is limited because of the ignorance of some people especially the employers of the drivers' responsible, who will try to shift the blame at all costs.

These shelters were constructed by the community themselves and I do hope that someone will be bold enough to come up with some kind of solution to rebuild the damaged sheds as soon as possible.