Housing Office wants changes to law on rentals

The Office of Housing and Urban Development (UMRM) will soon prepare a bill to change the heavily-criticized law regulating relations between apartment landlords and tenants. The law, passed half a year ago and perceived to protect the rights of tenants above those of landlords, has resulted in many flats being empty or rented without contracts. The law allows a tenant to not pay rent for up to three years before the landlord can legally evict the tenant. As a result, property owners are afraid to rent flats and have had problems removing delinquent tenants. "The market for private rentals has simply collapsed, particularly in big cities and academic centers," said UMRM management board member Tomasz Bleszynski. The office proposes, among other things, a return to differentiating types of rental units into s tate-owned apartments and commercial apartments. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) M.T.