Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/946236
maltatoday SUNDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2018 9 fifth to the tenth year, decreasing to 10% over a ten-year span. Longer lets of more than ten years will be taxed at 10% with a 0.5% reduction for each additional lease-year creating the possibility of a minimum 5% tax. A registration of properties that are up for rent, with the first price set being considered as the 'initial price', would be set up. This registra- tion would be applicable to all kinds of properties ranging from short let to longer lets. The NGOs recommended that a landlord can increase the rent annually but the percentage of this increase should not exceed the cost-of-living increase percentage that is established by the au- thorities. Once a contract expires, the landlord would be allowed to draw up a new contract with the al- ready existing conditions or with an increased asking price. In either case, the new contract can- not be higher than 10% of the last monthly pay- ment of the previous contract. An establishment of a public entity that is re- sponsible for rent regulation would be set up. This entity would be responsible to handle is- sues that would arise if the proposed measures are imposed on both the landowners and the tenants. An officially recognised Tenants' Union would also be set up, together with the creation of a state registry of properties on the rental market where landowners will register their properties. The state would create a registry of rentable and non-rentable property. Landowners would have to present a set of reasons as to why their property is not rentable. Measures and sanctions would also be imposed so as to deter landowners from renting without a valid contract. Tenants that report landowners on irregularities would be protected from eviction from that property. The establishment of a Rent Price Index that lists prices in different areas and for classes of property according to size and quality would be set up. This register would be publicly available for tenants and potential tenants to access. The properties would be classified according to area and class of property according to size and qual- ity. The NGOs also proposed that a tax on empty rentable property would be imposed by the gov- ernment. But the NGOs also said that to prevent abuse, the law would not allow one property owner from owning more than one additional (summer) resi- dence. The NGOs said this would incentivise landown- ers to put up their property for rent and improve the available housing stock as well as reduce pres- sure on the environment. The tax would also help in reducing rental on the black market. The organisations that have put forward these proposals are: Moviment Graffitti, Alleanza Kon- tra il-Faqar, Forum Komunita' Bormliża, Malta Tenant Support, Malta Humanists Association, The Millennium Chapel, Żminijietna – Voice of the Left, aditus Foundation, Malta Gay Rights Movement, The Critical Institute, Spark 15, Mid- Dlam għad-Dawl, Women's Rights Foundation, African Media Association Malta, Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust, Integra Foundation and Third World Group Malta. News mt What will Joseph Muscat's politi- cal legacy be af- ter he leaves his post? OPINION PG 20 JOSANNE CASSAR Netflix subscriptions down as pay-TV retains its crown daily viewing needs. The findings emerged following a pay-TV and broadcasting consumer perceptions survey the MCA carried out between No- vember and December 2017. Pay-TV bundle subscriptions rose to 67% in 2017, while only 1% relied solely on free- to-air services, a decrease from the 4% re- corded in 2015. A staggering 99% of Maltese households had a TV set at home, the findings showed, with more than half having two, and around a quarter having three sets or more. Around 67% said at least one of their TVs was a high-definition set. Amongst those with pay-TV, 21% also had an IPTV-Android box, but just 3% of those with pay-TV had access to satellite-TV. Those using internet services mainly used it to watch films and TV series (65%). Malta's consumer base appears to be high- ly satisfied, with 79% of respondents in 2017 saying they were happy with their pay-TV subscription – a rise from the 77% of 2015. However, the findings indicated that only 45% of respondents knew how much they spent every month on their service. Pur- chasing service bundles was cited as the main reason for this lack of knowledge. Half of those who were aware of their spending described their costs as reason- able. Only 4% of respondents reported switch- ing between pay-TV service providers in 2017, and a large majority of those who claimed they were not happy claimed they would still not switch to another provider. The survey, carried out by Grant Thorn- ton using telephone interviews, involved 906 randomly selected residential users dis- tributed amongst Malta's six regions across different socio-economic categories. mcosta@mediatoday.com.mt