Tenants bear the brunt of house rent hike
Syed Shemul Parvez :
Like every year, majority dwellers of Dhaka city living in rented houses are going to face additional financial burden from January next as many house owners have already notified their tenants of the increased rents on various excuses.
The abnormal rise in house rents has put tremendous pressure on the city dwellers, who have no option but to live in rented houses as they do not have a roof of their own over their head amid a nagging housing crisis in the capital.
It was alleged that almost all most of house owners increase their house rents in January every year at their own will, pushing the hapless tenants to extra financial burden.
Although there is a common tendency to increase the house rent from December every year, unfortunately it has already started in the current year.
The house owners in different areas had raised rents because of gas price hike and readjustment of city corporation holding tax last year.
Meanwhile, the government this year has decided not to increase the price of gas, rather it announced a subsidy of Tk 3,100 crore for this sector. But the trend of increasing the house rent in the capital did not stop.
Panel mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mohammad Jamal Mostafa told the media, “I do not have any news that house rent is being raised this year. However, we will take necessary measures to investigate on this matter.
“We can’t take any strong steps because there is no law which related to housing rent.
If the government or the court instructs in this regard, it would be better for us to take action, the panel mayor added.
Enayet Ali, a private service holder and tenant of a house in the capital’s Banasree F Block, said that in January 2016 he had paid a rent of Tk 16,000. Since last January, he had to pay Tk 18,000.
But this month, he said, his house owner has given him a notice to pay Tk 20,000 from January next.
According to a survey, around 83 percent of the people in Dhaka city live in rented houses. That means around 83 percent people are hostage to only 17 percent of the house owners.
In 1991, the government formulated the ‘House Rent Control Act’. This law has also a provision to appoint regulators, additional regulators and sub-regulators in various areas of the cities in order to control the house rent.
Although the law was formulated 27 years ago, its practical application has never been seen.
Asked about this, Dhaka South City Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer Khan Mohammad Bilal said, “The rent depends on the location ratio” and the landlords also sought various excuses to increase the house rent.
“It needs to be controlled. The government has a law to deal with rent control. That’s not yet ready. The law should be prepared quickly,” he said.
In the past, Jatiya Bharatia Parishad (National Tenants’ Council) and Bharatia Unnayan Society (Tenants’ Development Society) came up with the demands at human chains formed in the various parts of the country.
Like every year, majority dwellers of Dhaka city living in rented houses are going to face additional financial burden from January next as many house owners have already notified their tenants of the increased rents on various excuses.
The abnormal rise in house rents has put tremendous pressure on the city dwellers, who have no option but to live in rented houses as they do not have a roof of their own over their head amid a nagging housing crisis in the capital.
It was alleged that almost all most of house owners increase their house rents in January every year at their own will, pushing the hapless tenants to extra financial burden.
Although there is a common tendency to increase the house rent from December every year, unfortunately it has already started in the current year.
The house owners in different areas had raised rents because of gas price hike and readjustment of city corporation holding tax last year.
Meanwhile, the government this year has decided not to increase the price of gas, rather it announced a subsidy of Tk 3,100 crore for this sector. But the trend of increasing the house rent in the capital did not stop.
Panel mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mohammad Jamal Mostafa told the media, “I do not have any news that house rent is being raised this year. However, we will take necessary measures to investigate on this matter.
“We can’t take any strong steps because there is no law which related to housing rent.
If the government or the court instructs in this regard, it would be better for us to take action, the panel mayor added.
Enayet Ali, a private service holder and tenant of a house in the capital’s Banasree F Block, said that in January 2016 he had paid a rent of Tk 16,000. Since last January, he had to pay Tk 18,000.
But this month, he said, his house owner has given him a notice to pay Tk 20,000 from January next.
According to a survey, around 83 percent of the people in Dhaka city live in rented houses. That means around 83 percent people are hostage to only 17 percent of the house owners.
In 1991, the government formulated the ‘House Rent Control Act’. This law has also a provision to appoint regulators, additional regulators and sub-regulators in various areas of the cities in order to control the house rent.
Although the law was formulated 27 years ago, its practical application has never been seen.
Asked about this, Dhaka South City Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer Khan Mohammad Bilal said, “The rent depends on the location ratio” and the landlords also sought various excuses to increase the house rent.
“It needs to be controlled. The government has a law to deal with rent control. That’s not yet ready. The law should be prepared quickly,” he said.
In the past, Jatiya Bharatia Parishad (National Tenants’ Council) and Bharatia Unnayan Society (Tenants’ Development Society) came up with the demands at human chains formed in the various parts of the country.
