Increasing house rent: A nightmare for tenants

In recent years the monthly rents of houses, especially in Dhaka and other big towns, have increased alarmingly. The House Rent Control Act 1991 is there, but it is not being implemented properly. The Act lays down the process of giving a house on rent, taking monthly rent from the tenant and so on. But these procedures are hardly followed.

Now-a-days most landlords ask for advanced rent. They usually ask for three to four months of regular rent in advance. Tenants have little option other than meeting this demand as the demand for rented houses is high in urban areas. About three quarters of Dhaka's total population live in rented accommodations. Nearly 65 per cent or more of their monthly income is spent on paying house rent.

The Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) has revealed that, in last 20 years the house rent in Dhaka city has increased by almost 350 per cent! The government should take effective steps to ensure that rents are charged according to the applicable act and rules.

Md Mayien Uddin

Department of Business Administration

East West University, Dhaka

[email protected]