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PM Browne Targets Overseas Landlords Over Derelict Housing Crisis
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has vowed to crack down on absentee homeowners who rent out dilapidated properties to non-nationals, as part of a broader effort to address urban decay and improve housing standards in Antigua and Barbuda.
Speaking over the weekend, Browne expressed deep concern over the growing number of derelict homes being rented to non-national tenants by owners who live abroad.
He described the situation as exploitative, with tenants left to endure substandard living conditions while landlords collect rent from overseas.
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“These uninhabitable structures are not only a blight on our communities but also a threat to the health and safety of the people who are forced to live in them,” the Prime Minister said.
The Antigua and Barbuda government is now considering legislative reforms that would enable authorities to intervene more effectively, including the possible removal of abandoned and unsafe properties.
The move is part of a wider plan to revitalise St John’s and surrounding areas.
According to Browne, once tenants are evicted or move out of these rundown homes, many of the buildings are left vacant and quickly fall into further disrepair, contributing to urban blight and depressing surrounding property values.
The Prime Minister stressed that housing should be a right, not a risk, and reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring safe and decent living conditions for all residents, regardless of their nationality.
Further details on the proposed legislation are expected in the coming weeks, as the government ramps up efforts to tackle the housing crisis and restore dignity to affected communities.
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ANTIGUA IS A SMELLY DUMP.
This took long enough. Good on Mr Prime Minister
Thank you. Many tenants believe they don’t have to pay rent despite signing a contract and the court system is unbearable.
Are we gonna also address how much rent goes uncollected because of poor legislature to protect landlords? How else do they afford maintenance?
Many landlords want to collect rightuway too much rent and not upkeep their properties.. maybe people would be happy to pay for a place they are happy to live in
The silent one, if it is so smelly why you don’t just go back where you come from and leave us alone is the best life your living in the same place you call smelly
A coin has two sides. What about tenants living jn good properties and refused to pay their rent on time or even never. You also have to address your poor judiciary for taking too long for land lords to collect their monies and to evict these tenants in short order. You are failing to address both sides.
Which part is smelly @anonymous? I live here, dunno what you speaking about.
What about a tenant living an paying rightfully an a neighbor comes building a house near him without Bieng registered an causing problems when reported to DCA an CBH he is telling them it’s rent he is renting when is the land he is renting an he building off his pocket, DCA does nothing an the person he rent the land for is shielding him an won’t advise him to do the legal stuff 🤔
Tenants, however Gaston need to also take care of the people home. They rent it to you and you’re mashing up things and expect them to fix them. I understand things do break in a house that’s not the tenants fault. But tenants also bring down the house. I can testify to this!
Wanted to be heard I guess. You will find one out of 3 rent going unpaid or uncollected. But these landlords are renting run down, infested homes to people and still expect to collect the least right now $1200 a month time.
The rental statutes in Antigua has always been a mess, on both sides ( tenant and landlord), but merely speaking about one side of the spectrum, sounds very discriminatory to the landlords,and suggest that the PM is out of touch with the policies that are on the books protecting and informing the general public.
If you’re gonna get with the program Mr PM, get with it, not this half ass, and one-sided angle. But then again, this man only give speeches on his radio program, he doesn’t really fix issues,and this is another prime example that.
Just a waste of time listening to this out of touch PM.
What about the ones who tear up your property but refuse to leave and have the audacity not to pay their rent? What recourse do landlords have against these tyrannical tenants besides extending more funds on top of what’s owed paying lawyers and the court , time wasted and money lost since the property cannot be rented out to another person and requires extensive renovation , and compromised mental health? I agree that properties should be maintained especially when tenants are faithfully paing their rent. However, it’s an added burden on the landlord when the tenant refuses to do their part.
The laws should be simple… Firstly, landlords should not be allowed to poke their noses too much into people’s finances before renting. Once the person has the required funds and a legitimate source of income they should be allowed to rent. (There are scammers on the internet posting fake ads to acquire people’s personal info.) There should be no requirement to get a recommendation from a previous landlord who might not have been a good person. A tenant should be able to pay only the deposit in the middle of the month and have the place reserved for them until month end when they will have the funds to pay the first month in full. Secondly, the rules of maintenance should be simple. The landlord should cover basic wear and tear and upkeep. If they don’t in a reasonable time then the tenant should be able to pay for the fix and deduct it from the rent. (The receipts should be kept as proof.) If there is major damage that is the tenant’s fault and unreasonable for the landlord to pay for, the tenant could be allowed to fix it with the landlord’s permission but not take it out of the rent. (The landlord should be able to approve or disapprove of the chosen contractor, within reason, depending on how much prior experience they have with that kind of work.) Thirdly, if the tenant doesn’t pay in certain amount of time e.g. 2-3 months, the landlord should be able to give them an eviction notice in writing. If they don’t vacate in another 2-3 months or so, the landlord should just be able to change the locks. The tenant should be given another month to arrange to collect their belongings before they are discarded. Finally, tenants should be able to give one month’s written notice that they intend to vacate the next monthend and then not have to pay for the final month if there is no major damage. That way they can afford the deposit at a new place that they can find during the month. Otherwise they might be stuck in a bad situation that is hard to leave because it can be difficult to save up such a large deposit on top of already having to pay rent. Overall, places for rent should be inspected before being placed on the market when first built or even planned to ensure that they have suitable facilities and are organized in a way that is suitable for multiple tenants to be able to share a yard space in peace if it’s an apartment building. Also, there should be more unfurnished rentals available for locals, and furnished rentals should be inspected between tenants to ensure that the appliances are still functional and safe and that the furniture is cleaned and updated periodically. I have no idea what all is in the current rental laws, but the above would be fair to both sides bearing in mind the tenants are in the more vulnerable position in renting. The landlords should take all the requirements of upkeep into consideration and charge a fair price for their profits, also taking into account prevailing salary levels in the country and that people have other expenditures besides housing that they also need to address.
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