PETALING JAYA: The lack of specific laws to determine the rights of tenants and landlords has created a long-term conflict which is difficult to resolve in the court of law, says a legal expert on real estate and property.
Nazri Mustafa, a former president of the Malaysian Property Lawyers Association (HartaGuam), urged the government to table the Residential Tenancy Act, which he said has been in the drafting stage for years.
He hoped the Act would establish mandatory clauses in rental agreements, become the backbone to establish a tribunal to address rental issues, and facilitate legal action against recalcitrant tenants.
“With housing prices increasing and the demand for rental homes growing, it is time to table the Act,” Nazri told FMT.
“Not only will the tenants’ rights be protected, but also the rights of the landlords.”
Recently, an advertisement for a “balcony room” with a monthly rental of RM600 triggered criticism from netizens.
The picture in the advertisement showed a bed next to the sliding door of a balcony, in a small space that had been partitioned.
The partitioned room contained a bed and a dresser, with barely any room to move around.
‘We have no choice’
Some tenants living in partitioned rooms have been complaining about the rent they have to pay each month.
They said not only are the rooms small but they also have to share the house with many others.
The tenants, who were mainly young adults, told FMT they were forced to live in the partitioned rooms as they were near their places of work.
Some of the tenants are students who cannot afford a bigger place.
Emely Tan, 26, who works in the private sector, said she is paying RM500 a month for her room, which was originally the living room of a house that had been partitioned into seven rooms.
Tan, who is renting in Cheras and travels to work on the LRT, described the size and price of her room as “more reasonable” when compared to other rental units.
“There are properties that offer cheaper partitioned rooms, like RM450 a month, but they are tiny. Some partitioned rooms are even located in the kitchen,” she told FMT.
She said the agent who managed the rental property gave the excuse that the tiny partitioned rooms were to discourage tenants from bringing in “outsiders”.
University student Anis Shaharuddin, 22, is paying RM550 a month for a partitioned room in Shah Alam.
“This is all I can afford. There’s not enough space to keep my belongings. It is uncomfortable but what can I do?” she said, adding that she had to work part-time to pay the rent and other expenses. - FMT
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