50% of social housing unit owners don't pay rent accordingly: Zuhair

50% of the residents living in over 12,000 housing units allocated under the social housing scheme in Hulhumalé are not paying their monthly rent, according to Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Managing Director Ali Zuhair.

Speaking on Dhivehi Raajjeyge Adu’s "Ahaashey Bunaanan" program, Zuhair stated that half of the social housing unit owners fail to pay rent accordingly. He noted that financial difficulties stemming from various personal circumstances are the primary reason tenants fail to make payments.

We manage over 12,000 flats. Looking at the uncollected rent percentage, 50 percent of tenants are unable to pay due to various financial hardship situations, Zuhair explained.

Those in default include tenants who have not made a single payment since moving into their flats, as well as those who fail to pay regularly. According to statistics released by HDC to local news outlet Sun under the Right to Information Act in May last year, unpaid rent totals over MVR 700 million.

To address the issue, HDC began issuing quarterly "Payment Advice" notices to non-paying tenants starting last year. Zuhair added that the corporation is also monitoring apartments for unauthorized subleasing.

Inspection visits across all Hiyaa flat units have now been completed. In cases where foreign workers were found residing in the flats, written notices were issued to the property owners instructing them to rectify the violation.