THE Rent Services Unit within the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development is encouraging landlords and tenants to seek assistance early when rental disputes arise, rather than allowing issues to escalate.

Director of the Rent Services Unit Shenese Williams Headlam said the unit provides a range of services to support both landlords and tenants, including assistance with disputes involving rent arrears, security deposits and illegal rent increases.

Williams Headlam made the appeal while addressing a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank last Wednesday.

She explained that the Rent Services Unit serves as the secretariat to the Rent Assessment Board and provides information, guidance and dispute resolution services to landlords and tenants.

“If a landlord and a tenant have a dispute, it is best that they come to the Rent Services Unit to try and resolve their issues, because many times resolving it on their own really gets them nowhere and it really can escalate,” she said.

Landlords can access the unit’s services to register properties, have standard rent determined and apply for exemptions for commercial properties, while tenants can seek assistance with matters related to security deposits and illegal rent increases.

Williams Headlam noted that where disputes cannot be resolved by officers at the Rent Services Unit, matters may be referred to the Rent Assessment Board’s tribunal for a formal hearing.

She explained that the tribunal hears both sides of a dispute and may seek to resolve the matter through mediation or other forms of dispute resolution before proceeding to trial, where necessary.

Hearings are conducted in Kingston, St James, Westmoreland, St Ann, and Clarendon, with the majority taking place at the Rent Services Unit’s offices at 25 Dominica Drive in Kingston.

Williams Headlam is encouraging persons experiencing landlord-tenant disputes to contact the unit for assistance as early as possible.

The Rent Services Unit can be reached at 876-352-3514 or 876-352-3558.

— JIS News