Relief to the tenants, Government to bring new law

New Delhi: The government is working to construct a framework and bring in new norms to give a big push to affordable rental housing in the country, said Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

“We are soon bringing a new law on rental housing and this will lead to a more structured approach in this sector both in urban as well as rural areas,” he said at an ASSOCHAM web conference.

The Housing Secretary said that the current rent laws in various states have been enacted to protect the interests of tenants. He said that according to the 2011 census, more than 1.1 crore houses are lying vacant across the country, because many owners have their own apprehensions on renting them out. Mishra said, “His ministry will ensure that every state within a year makes necessary provisions to implement this model law.”

In 2019, the ministry floated the draft model tenancy law that would bolster rental housing across the country.It is proposed that the landlord will have to give written notice three months before the rent is amended. It advocates to appoint a District Collector as Rent Officer. To charge tenants with a penalty if the stay is overdue. The government has already come up with guidelines of the Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) for urban poor and migrants.