The Montenegrin Tenants' Association has called on all relevant institutions to urgently respond to the problem of the gray zone of rentiership, which, they claim, causes huge financial losses to the state and directly threatens the rights of thousands of citizens.
"Every year, due to informal apartment rentals and non-payment of taxes, the state loses millions of dollars, which could be directed towards social programs, subsidies, and improving housing policy. The practice of not concluding lease agreements not only enables tax obligations to be avoided, but also leaves tenants without any legal protection," said the Tenants' Association.
They said that tenants, who often make up a significant portion of the population in urban areas, do not have the opportunity to exercise their right to subsidies or any support from the state or local governments.
"This is nothing more than institutional discrimination and a gross violation of the right to safe housing and legal protection, which every citizen of Montenegro must have," said the Tenants' Association.
At the same time, as they said, they witness every day how much money is spent or unnecessarily thrown away by decision-makers, while these same people do not do their job and do not adopt key measures that would protect tenant families in Montenegro.
Citizens, as the Association claims, rightly question how it is possible for the state to have funds for inefficient projects, luxury trips, and other expenses, but lack the will to solve a problem that directly affects thousands of families.
The Association reminded that for this reason they launched a social enterprise, which, as they stated, will deal with exactly what state institutions do not deal with.
"This company, through its engagement, will begin regulating the real estate market for the benefit of all stakeholders – tenants, apartment owners, and the state itself," said the Tenants' Association.
They called on the ministries of finance and spatial planning, the Tax Administration (TA), local governments and all competent authorities to take concrete measures, including conducting strict inspections and sanctions for unregistered apartment landlords, encouraging the formalization of leases through tax breaks for legally registered contracts, enabling tenants to access subsidies and social assistance regardless of contract status, and developing a clear and fair housing policy that will not favor only property owners.
"The shadow economy in the rental sector is not just an economic problem – it is a social injustice that must be solved. The state must not remain silent about the fact that thousands of citizens live without legal security, while at the same time suffering huge budget losses," concluded the Tenants' Association.
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