Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1538131
LANDLORDS are making a killing off their tenants by refusing to refund deposits, charging illegal fees, and gener- ally treating them as disposable ATM machines. After shedding light on the abuse faced by third-country nationals (TCNs) at the hands of their employers and recruit- ment agencies, this newspaper has now turned its attention to abusive practices by landlords. When we kicked off this in- vestigation, the original in- tention was to focus on the exaggerated fees for water and electricity TCNs are made to pay by their landlords. Several reports that reached us showed that tenants are paying sums of money over and above their rent to cover utilities without landlords ever showing them the bills. But when tenants met this newspaper, the abuse they highlighted was astonishing. Names of tenants in this arti- cle have been changed to pro- tect their identity. Illegal interest charged on late rent Anuj* spent seven months living in an apartment with four other people. Unlike oth- ers who spoke to MaltaToday, he does not want money from his previous landlord, and on- ly wishes to raise awareness on how property owners are mak- ing vast sums of money from small unjust fees imposed on tenants. Anuj explains that he lived in a five-person flat inside a block of flats with at least six apartments full of foreign workers like him. Their rent was €350 per person, meaning that the landlord made €1,750 per month from a single apart- ment's rent. But other fees were piled on- to the rent. Anuj and his flat mates would each pay an addi- tional €100 to cover water and electricity bills—this amounts to another €500 per flat each month for the landlord. Unsur- prisingly, the tenants never saw a water or electricity bill. Anuj's flat was secured through a €2,000 deposit, which was never refunded at the end of the lease agreement. "It is a known fact among the [TCN] community that such deposits are not refunded," Anuj tells me. But that is not all. Anuj says each tenant was also made to pay €50 per month for mainte- nance for the block's lift, net- ting the owners another €250 from every apartment. Anuj further explains that tenants must pay their land- lords in one of the owners' offices. If they pay their rent even one day after the due date, tenants are charged interest, a practice which is illegal, ac- cording to legal advice received by MaltaToday. 'Sons of bitches': Barging into the flat George* and his three friends came to Malta on student visas and signed their lease agree- ment three months ago. But those three months have been nothing short of a nightmare due to their landlords' disgust- ing behaviour. The group's landlords live in an apartment just above theirs. For the few months that they have been living in the flat, the students have been facing some form of abuse "every sin- gle day". George explains how the owners would barge into their flat without warning, even going into each room while some tenants weren't properly dressed. The tenants would constantly receive complaints about their cooking, singing, and even talking. George explains that he has been unable to sleep, fearful that his landlords might come in at any moment. "They come in and call us 'sons of bitches'," he says, among other insults. Now, de- spite signing a one-year lease agreement, the owners want the tenants to leave, giving them just one week's notice. To add insult to injury, the land- lords also refused to refund the 2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 AUGUST 2025 NEWS By means of an application filed in the Civil Court of Voluntary Jurisdiction Section, on the 20th May, 2025, Application number 410/2025, by Godfrey Pace whereby he requested that it be declared open in favour of Godfrey Pace and Suzanne Pace, parents of the decujus in the quota of one half (1/2) undivided share between them and the remaining one half (1/2) undivided share in favour of Abigail Pace, sister of the decujus the succession of Kristine Pace, unmarried, daughter of Godfrey Pace and Suzanne Pace née Theuma, born in Tal-Pietà, Malta, resided in Pembroke, Malta, and died in Pembroke, Malta, on the 29th January, 2025, aged 33 and who held identity card number 0054492M. Wherefore, any person who believes to have an interest in the matter is hereby called upon to appear before the said Court and to bring forward his objections hereto by a minute to be filed within fifteen days from the posting of the banns and notices according to law. Registry of the Civil Court, Voluntary Jurisdiction Section Today 20th June, 2025 ALEXANDRA DEBATTISTA For the Registrar, Civil Court and Tribunals Landlords fatten their pockets as foreigners MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt Landlords in Malta are exploiting foreign tenants by withholding deposits, charging illegal fees, and issuing unlawful evictions. An investigation by MaltaToday has uncovered widespread abuse, particularly targeting third-country nationals living in overcrowded and overpriced conditions. Anuj further explains that tenants must pay their landlords in one of the owners' offices. If they pay their rent even one day after the due date, tenants are charged interest, a practice which is illegal, according to legal advice received by MaltaToday.