ZAGREB, Jan 29 (Hina) - The Croatian National Sabor's House of Representatives on Friday continued its session with a debate on amendments and draft amendments to the Law on Apartment Leasing. The proposed amendments primarily refer
to protected leaseholders on welfare, and the issue of janitors' apartments. Protected leaseholders are tenants who during the Communist regime were granted tenancy rights to privately owned apartments, of which some had been confiscated. Tenants of socially-owned apartments who did not buy the apartments also belong to that category. The rents paid by protected leaseholders are much lower than those on the market. According to the amendments, local authorities should pay the expenses of tenants who, due to social circumstances, are not able to pay the protected lease, or provide with another apartment whose rent they would be able to pay. In case a lessor wishes t
ZAGREB, Jan 29 (Hina) - The Croatian National Sabor's House of
Representatives on Friday continued its session with a debate on
amendments and draft amendments to the Law on Apartment Leasing.
The proposed amendments primarily refer to protected leaseholders
on welfare, and the issue of janitors' apartments.
Protected leaseholders are tenants who during the Communist regime
were granted tenancy rights to privately owned apartments, of which
some had been confiscated.
Tenants of socially-owned apartments who did not buy the apartments
also belong to that category. The rents paid by protected
leaseholders are much lower than those on the market.
According to the amendments, local authorities should pay the
expenses of tenants who, due to social circumstances, are not able
to pay the protected lease, or provide with another apartment whose
rent they would be able to pay.
In case a lessor wishes to move his family into to the apartment, the
amendments to the law would obligate him to provide another
apartment for the leaseholder on welfare.
Representatives of both the ruling Croatian Democratic Union and
opposition parties assessed the Law itself is poor, and that
amendments only add to the confusion.
The Law on Apartment lease, which dates to 1996, is not the best
solution for either protected leaseholders, or lessors.
Leaseholders cannot buy apartments like the rest of the citizens
with the same tenancy right did. Lessors on the other hand, even
though owners, cannot have the apartments at their disposal. Not
even the proposed amendments provide proper solutions, the
representatives believe.
The majority of the representatives suggested the overall revision
of the Law.
The representatives and the Legislation Committee demanded the
possibility to buy janitors' apartments, and to solve the issue of
so called 'common' premises in buildings.
(hina) it/ha jn