Flat-owners warned against renting out apartments

Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Miuzzu has told apartment owners in social housing schemes they cannot rent out their flats.

“Flats will be taken away from owners of social housing scheme flats if they’re giving the flats for rent against the agreement,” he tweeted on Monday night after Mihaaru published a report questioning the merit of people who, after getting selected as flat-winners, choose to rent out the spaces instead of living there.

More than 600 selected winners were awarded flats after 15,000 people applied for a government social housing scheme.

Renting out apartments is against the agreement between flat-winners and the government, reports Mihaaru. The agreement specifies that only one bedroom from the three-bedroom apartments can be rented out, and it is a must for flat-winners to live in the other two rooms.

While the monthly payment for the Hulhumalé social housing scheme is 7000MVR ($453) per month over the next 25 years after a down payment of 25,000MVR, some apartments are being rented out for more than 15,000 MVR per month.