The Rent

Assessment Unit has reported that it successfully addressed 335 cases between January

2017 and May 2019.

“Matters

brought before the Rent Assessment Board included tenants suing landlords for

security deposits and landlords suing tenants for arrears owed,” Executive

Director of the Rent Assessment Unit, Shenese Headlam, told JIS News.

Headlam explained

that the Rent Assessment Board is a quasi-judicial body with similar judicial

power as the Parish Court. Hearings are held twice per month and a new Board is

appointed by the Government every three years.

“Matters are

heard by the Board Chairman, who is an attorney-at-law, and his or her ruling

is treated as that of a Parish Court Judge. After the hearing is completed, we

lodge the Order to the courts for it to be enforced. Every Order which is

lodged with the Clerk of Courts is treated as if it were an Order made by the

Resident Magistrate’s Court for the payment of money,” she noted.

Meanwhile, Headlam

said that for the January 2017 to May 2019 period, 19,458 complaints were

received and addressed by the Rent Assessment Unit, which acts as the Secretariat

for the Board.

“We received

complaints and queries from both landlords and tenants. Complaints ranged from

illegal increases in rent, arrears owed, withheld security deposits, notices to

quit and harassment,” she said.

The Board

protects the interests of both tenant and landlord, so when a complaint is

made, no action is taken until both parties have been consulted.

“We just

want to encourage persons to utilise the service of the Board, because this not

only helps with the court backlog but it ensures matters are settled legally

between tenants and landlords,” Headlam said.