By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net 

HOUSING Minister Keith Bell said the government is pushing to complete draft legislation before the end of its term that “would strike the delicate balance” between landlords and tenants’ rights, as soaring rents and complaints on both sides continue to mount.

Mr Bell told reporters yesterday that his ministry routinely receives reports from tenants about sudden rent hikes of up to $500 and electricity disconnections, and from landlords about tenants refusing to pay rent or barring them from entering their properties.

He said the government is also worried about people living in unsafe or uninhabitable conditions, warning that this could become a growing burden on the Department of Social Services if not addressed.

“We want to ensure that landlords keep up the premises, that they are tenable,” he said. “We want to ensure that the tenants are not mistreated, but at the same time that they live up to their obligations as well.”

The push for reform comes amid widespread concern about housing affordability, with Mr Bell acknowledging that families are increasingly squeezed by high rental costs and stagnant wages.

A recent IMF report found rents in The Bahamas rose by 14 percent between 2012 and 2022, while average wages grew by just two percent — a trend that has hit low-income households hardest.

Mr Bell said the government’s review of the Rent Control Act aims to modernise the law and close enforcement gaps that leave both landlords and tenants frustrated.

Asked about regulating the surge in homeowners converting properties into Airbnbs, he said the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Inland Revenue are studying the issue closely amid mounting complaints about covenant breaches in residential communities.

“We don’t want to create a piece of legislation and then it’s difficult to enforce,” he said, adding that magistrates will be involved to ensure the law is enforceable.

Mr Bell said the draft law is being “looked at with a fine teeth comb,” acknowledging that the process is taking longer than expected but insisting the final product will be fair to all parties.

He also revealed progress in the government’s compulsory land acquisition programme, saying properties have already been acquired in Englerston, Bain and Grants Town, and Freetown, with plans to take over about ten more lots on Charles Vincent Street.

“What we hope to do is to use these properties for our affordable housing,” he said, adding that some owners have expressed interest in partnering with the government to rehabilitate their properties.