Sir/Madam,
I write to express growing concern about the state of the residential rental market in Antigua, which has become increasingly unmanageable for ordinary citizens.
What was once a reasonably balanced market has now spiraled into a situation where many locals can no longer afford a simple place to live. The rental prices being demanded today are, quite frankly, exorbitant and completely disconnected from the reality of local wages.
A major part of the problem is the absence of proper regulation. With no cap on rental increases, no standardized guidelines for pricing, and no effective oversight, landlords are free to set rates as high as they wish.
The result is a market driven not by fairness or community welfare, but by profit alone—often influenced by the short-term rental boom and the willingness of visitors and foreign workers to pay higher prices.
This unregulated environment has left many Antiguans scrambling. Young professionals are unable to move out and start independent lives. Families are forced to downsize into cramped or substandard housing.
Some residents are pushed into unsafe or unhealthy living conditions simply because they have no other options. It is heartbreaking that in our own country, many of us now feel like strangers with no affordable place to call home.
The government must step in. Clear policies—such as rent caps, incentives for affordable housing, and regulations that prevent speculative price gouging—are necessary to restore balance.
Other countries have implemented such measures successfully, proving that regulation can protect citizens without discouraging responsible landlords.
Housing is not a luxury; it is a fundamental necessity. If we are serious about improving the quality of life for Antiguans and safeguarding the dignity of our people, then addressing the housing crisis must be a national priority.
Regulating the residential rental market is not only justified—it is long overdue.
Respectfully, Concerned Citizen
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Lot of foreigner are coming to Invest in Antigua//How you think the demand of houses is going to be?
If the demand increase and the offer is low….The price will go up. That is normal. But is pretty clear that people want to pay coins to nice property. and force them to lower the price.
House is not a right.. Because you can share a place. But living alone that is privilege, isn’t a right. You can’t force other to offer a price for some asset that have high value just because you want to live alone or with your partner, and your salary isn’t enough to keep that lifestyle.
Of course with 1500 EC Salary isnt enough to rent something with 1000 ec market value.
There isn’t way a house can be affordable…Because the prices of construction materials are High like hell. and the cost of labor is high also. Any construction worker in Antigua today get at least 120 ec a day. That labor cost alone add a lot to the cost of building something.
Houses never was and never will be cheap. Regardless if government want to enforce some prices. That will make things worse, that will make Property owners pull out their properties from the market, and lets choices will be available.
With much respect @Concerned Citizen the high rental rates in housing has been hard-driven by this government. It obviously makes financial sense to them to the detriment of citizens trying to rent affordable homes.
The ABLP may outwardly show concern, but privately they want to an unregulated market in rental rates, because many tourists with deep pockets will pay the high asking prices.
That’s market capitalism at a glance!
Even well known Cabinet Ministers charge exorbitant five figure sums for anyone to rent out their priorities – are you telling me that they are going to legislate to curtail the financial returns on their housing investments? No way!
They’ll probably try to curtail anyone involved in vacation rentals like Airbnb, and definitely not out of kindness of their hearts for affordability for locals, but more likely to preserve the precious Hotel Sector that lobbyists need to protect at all costs.
An interesting development. Let’s see what happens next?
Yall are clearly oblivious to the cost of property insurance, labor and maintenance costs and the ever rising building materials prices…keep expecting much for little…it’s cheaper to keep our places empty than to rent for what yall expecting
People are playing between $1500-$2300 a month in rent. That’s in some cases higher than a mortgage. It’s sad to say. However, it is what it is. Building a house in today’s economy isn’t cheap.
Seriously the Government need to step in. I know Gaston not going to play around with this
Some of them landlords too damn wicked especially the one with the green and cream apartments