Dear Claudienne,

I am a tenant living in the Kingston 8 area. I have been living at this premises since 2006 and my rent at that time was $16,000.00. About two years ago the landlady added a grill to a side door and a year before she did some painting. Immediately afterwards she increased the rent by $2,000.00. Since then nothing has been done to the premises apart from painting done by the tenants. Whenever you complain to her about things to be fixed it’s always a problem and she takes forever to have the problems resolved.

My rent is due on the first of every month and after I paid her the rent for May last week, she informed me on May 11 that she would be increasing the rent by $2,000.00. The place is small and very uncomfortable. There are flying roaches coming from the sewage areas and an infestation of rats.

I would like to know if there are any stipulations in the Rent Assessment Act about how often there should be an increase in rent, and by how much.

Thanks for your assistance in this matter.

MM

Dear MM

According to the Rent Board, the Rent Assessment Act allows for an annual rent increase of 7.5 per cent. Under Proclamations, Rules and Regulations of the Act, Section 34 subsection states:

“The standard rent as determined for any premises pursuant to the schedule shall be increased on each anniversary of the applicable date by such amount as shall be necessary to increase by 7 1/2 per cent the standard rent payable immediately prior to such increase.”

In regard to the roaches and rats, Tell Claudienne suggests that you call the Kingston and St Andrew (KSA) Health Department for help to eliminate the problem.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne

I worked in the Post and Telecommunications section of the Ocho Rios Post Office from May 16, 1995 to January 6, 2011, when I retired. While I worked I contributed to the Widows and Orphans Pension Fund.

In December 2013, while going through some old documents I noticed that there were pension fund deductions on some of my old pay slips.

I made enquiries at the Central Sorting Office (CSO) and was informed that I should have applied for a refund six months after I retired.

The CSO gave me some forms to fill out and I also had to get a Justice of the Peace (JP) to sign a letter stating that I did not know that I should have submitted the refund application to the Ministry of Finance six months after I retired.

The documents were dulysubmitted to the ministry and when I checked there in July 2014 I was told that my file was on the auditor’s desk. My daughter and I have been checking with them since then, but up to now I have not got my money.

I would appreciate your help, as since the documents were submitted they appear to be stationed on the auditor’s desk.

VT

Dear VT

Tell Claudienne has been in communication with the Ministry of Finance, and in March we were told that your refund had been approved. You were sent an award letter and we see that you have now been paid the money by the Accountant General.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.