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Dear Editor,
Am I the only one bothered by the rental market? The rental situation in this country is a disgrace.
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Rent goes up while wages stay frozen or inch upwards by mere pennies. People are working full time, even juggling multiple jobs and still can’t afford basic housing.
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Meanwhile landlords jack up prices “just because they can” and sit comfortably watching their properties earn more than most people’s salaries.
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What’s worst is the silence.
Where are the decision-makers? Where is the urgency? Is it because they own rental properties themselves? Are they more concerned with keeping foreign investors happy? Or just lack the political will to push bold housing reforms!
People are being forced into shared houses well into their 30s and 40s, staying in toxic living situations all while government nod along and do nothing.
Apartments and houses being advertised in US dollars in a country where people are paid in XCD. One bedrooms or studios being listed at prices that no one earning a minimum wage here could afford.
It’s as if locals don’t matter anymore. Landlords clearly targeting expats and short term renters who can afford inflated USD prices.
Some landlords raising rent with zero improvements to their property blaming the “cost of living” while profiting from people’s desperation.
This isn’t about a few bad landlords or temporary tough market. It’s a full-blown failure a failure to regulate, a failure to treat housing as a human necessity instead of a profit machine.
And another thing that desperately needs addressing is property hoarding.
There are people sitting on multiple houses and apartments that have been vacant for years while others can’t even find a room to rent.
That’s not “investment,” that’s waste and it drives up scarcity and prices for everyone else.
We need clear policies or taxes on long-term vacant properties to push these homes back into circulation. Vacancy taxes on homes left unoccupied for a certain period of time, use it or lose it policies for these “investment properties.”
Incentives for long term rentals and penalties for long term vacancies. Empty houses should not coexist with homelessness or impossible rent prices.
We need real solutions like rent caps, serious regulations of the rental market, disallowing short term rentals in certain areas.
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I’m not understanding.
This country is a paradise for private property owners. There is no law to tell you how much you should rent your property for. I remember in the mid 70s when I was looking for a house to rent in Gambles. The house was owned by an young Antiguan banker. I argue with him to lower the rent. And he just told me if I do not want it I can leave it right their he doesn’t need to have it rented. To which I replied, well if you do not need the rent why not give it to me for free. This is to show you the mind set of people owning property. I’m sure many don’t even pay property tax. And furthermore they do not maintain their property. Thank God now for AirBnB. Many properties are now rented to tourist or expats. Locals are only able to rent substanderd wooden homes. That is why we have to thank this government program to make housing affordable for the middle class and lower income. And not your regular wooden home. But a concrete house. And the HAPPY program just gave away yet another home to a poor lady who had lost her home.
But writer government should not regulate everything. Or it will be interfering in the markets of “demand and supply”. Those who want to remain demanding high rent let them stay with their property and perhaps it will be a burden for them in the end. And with the new law coming up if they do not maintain it, it will be auctioned.
100% agree. Rent here is chaotic and overpriced. Sick of seinf houses in usd for rent. Government homes are over 300k it’s pure madness and shows lack of care and planning. 90% of antigua living paycheck to paycheck
Everybody silent this is true landlords advantaging us as we talk they tell us find another place Mr prime minister we need help oh God mon these houses are expensive we need help our pay isn’t enough to go bank an get loan to get our own house because our minimum wages is too little we need help this is out a hand,u have land lord living comfortable while tenant suffer my pass landlords told me I can’t use my micro wave because of too much current we need help lots of us can’t afford it to live on our own because it’s expensive
Nobody helping us no t a soul
Nobody study the poor this is why por a ppl killing themselves they can’t take it the living conditions is outrageous an they can’t do better
It’s called capitalism my friend, part of living in an “economic powerhouse”. You’re free to build an apartment building and rent them out for rock bottom prices…or free! If you want affordable housing there a some countries in South America you might want to visit.
What about building starter homes for those in the lowest income brackets. Something that is actually affordable and sell with a caveat that when the initial mortgage is paid they are eligible for the second mortgage to upgrade or if they wish they can do their upgrades as time and money allows.