Tenants demand law that would protect their rights

The Moj dom Tenants' Association submitted an initiative to the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, the Parliament and the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms - the Ombudsman, for the adoption of a law on the protection of tenants' rights.

Representatives of the Association called on the Ministry, the Parliament and the Ombudsman to urgently begin drafting a law on the protection of tenants' rights, so that thousands of citizens living as tenants will receive legal security and dignified housing conditions.

According to its representatives, the association is ready to participate in all consultations, working groups and public debates with the aim of reaching a quality and fair legal solution.

The Association said that they were informed that the initiative had officially arrived at the parliamentary address, and that all MPs would be informed about its content and goals.

"This step represents an important signal that the issue of the position of tenants is finally beginning to be considered at the institutional level," the statement said.

The goal of the initiative, as they explained, is to establish a legal framework that will ensure housing security, legal protection, and transparency of the rental market for all citizens living as tenants.

"In Montenegro, there is no special law regulating the rights and obligations of tenants and landlords, which leads to numerous abuses and insecurity. Thousands of citizens live in rented apartments without basic legal protection. Tenants are often faced with abrupt terminations, unwritten agreements and illegal practices. With the law, we want to introduce order, security and respect for the rights of both parties," the statement said.

The Association stated that the key reasons for the adoption of the law were the lack of legal regulations that would protect tenants, weak institutional control that would oversee the rental market, the informal market, and the lack of information and support.

The proposed law includes mandatory written lease agreements, a ban on arbitrary evictions without a court order, protection against sudden rent changes, the introduction of reporting and complaint mechanisms, and penal provisions for violations of tenants' rights.