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{
    "id": 1110835,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1110835/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 475,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": "One of the provisions that is coming in this Bill is that landlords are required to give a written notice of at least 90 days prior to the intention to increase rent which would then render the rent increase invalid. At the same time, if the tenant does not object to this written 90 days’ notice, within 30 days of receipt of that notice, then they are deemed to have accepted the increase. This again shields the predictability and surprises that may be sprung on the tenant by the landlord or also the feeling that a tenant who receives notice keeps quiet and is hoping that after 90 days he would then start challenging that rent. Therefore, it gives a window of at least 60 days for them to negotiate. One of the other features of this Bill is that the landlord may increase the rent once every 12 months in case of residential premises and for the business premises every 24 months. This gives a certain predictability in terms of the cost of housing. In a bid to protect the tenants, the Bill also compels landlords to keep their signed records of all the rent payments and to share a copy of that record with the tenants. For any landlord who does not keep those records or does not give a copy of the records in terms of the receipts and the payments that have been made, there could well be a fine not exceeding one month's rent which will be imposed on the landlord. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, where a tenant dies or walks out of the premises when they have the rent arrears, for the protection of the tenant, the landlord will not just walk in and grab the property of the departed. They will have to apply to a proposed tribunal to be given the power to dispose of the belongings of the departed tenant. This will also not just be granted before a verification of the inventory of the items has been taken by an officer of the tribunal. The Bill mandates the landlord to provide the receipts of all the repairs done to the premises upon vacating before deducting any security deposits. As you know, traditionally you would be expected to pay a certain number of months' deposit, which would be expected to cover the cost of making good the premise upon the expiry of the lease. However, usually, landlords may just come and say, “I have used all your money to renovate or do the paintings.” Under this law, the tenants would be entitled to see that the landlord has actually used with evidence on how much of their money has been used to make good or restore the house before allowing them to go. For the landlords, there is also certain protection that the Bill is bringing which are not expressly provided for in the Residential Landlord -Tenant Agreement and the Rent Restriction Act. For instance, there is a right for a tenant to recover security deposit. The right for a tenant to recover security deposit is attached to the tenant having restored the premises to the condition it was in time. Like I said earlier, the landlord will have that right to hold the money until that premise is restored. The flip side of that is obviously that the tenant will have the right to verify the documentation that pertains to that restoration. I will be considering the possibility of perhaps, adding some riders to this so that we look at fair wear and tear, and whether it could be incorporated into this as part of further insulating the tenant. Therefore, it is not just the restoration. You know there are some other things that may not be restored and we need to see how they are captured. As further protection to the landlord, the Bill lays out the grounds which a landlord may be entitled to terminate the tenancy without reference to a tribunal. That is provided if the landlord complies with the provisions of the Act by giving sufficient notice and several other provisions. I will only be highlighting a few. I have seen the Committee’s Report and I am sure they will be highlighting many more and any other issue that came through the public participation. There are few Members in this House who are tenants, and most of them are landlords. So, I expect The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}