Housing market - The ministry of housing has embarked on reviewing the draft Landlords and Tenants Bill to reflect developments in the housing market. Soita Shitanda, the Housing minister, on Friday said the bill is being re-drafted to reflect socio-economic developments that have rendered some policies obsolete. He said the bill will harmonise the Business Premises Act and the Rent Restrictions Act, which could see it cap rents in certain zones. The bill will create a watchdog body, the Landlords and Tenants Board, which will be headed by a chief executive.

'The bill may introduce rent capping in a way. For instance it will not allow a landlord to evict a tenant or hike rents without approval from the landlords and tenants board. You cannot increase rents if you haven't been maintaining the house,' he said.

The current Rent Restriction Act gives the Rent Tribunal the mandate to restrict rent increment, the right of possession, extraction of premiums and fixing Standard Rent in relation to dwelling houses, and other incidental issues in dwelling houses in urban settlements. The Act is now obsolete as it caps standard rent for controlled tenancy at Sh2,500.

James Waithaka

Nairobi Star/20/11/2011