Deputies adopt report on 2024 Rent Bill with amendments 

The Bill seeks to amend the existing Rent Act (2014), which efficiently addresses issues of Rent.

Laying the report, Hon. Sulayman Jammeh, co-chairperson of the joint committee said the bill seeks to improve and amend the existing Rent Act of 2014.

Member for Serrekunda West, Madi Ceesay, in December 2023, introduced a Rent Amendment Bill, which aims to regulate prices and make monthly rent payments more affordable in The Gambia.

Explaining the objectives and reasons for introducing the bill, Ceesay noted that the bill seeks to reduce the burden of paying six or more months of rent for low-cost rents for tenants.

“This bill seeks to improve on the Rent Act of 2014, by raising the value specified low cost of rental premises such that it is in line with contemporary times and as well as enables ordinary persons to afford to pay [their] rent monthly rather than face the burden of paying for six or more at any given time,” he said.

In the 2014 Rent Act, the rent cost is divided into low cost and high. A rent fee of one thousand to three thousand dalasi is payable monthly, but any amount above three thousand is considered a high cost, which is paid for six or more months.

Hon. Bakary B. Cora, Member for Upper Fulladu West, said the bill has come to solve problems between landlords and tenants. “The bill is going to send a signal that there is a law in place whereby landlords will not just increase the rent at a random or throw out tenants.”

Giving his submission, Member for Sami Constituency, Hon Alfusainey Ceesay said 

“We are all aware of the issues surrounding rent, and that’s why we deem it necessary for it to be referred to these two committees to do their consultations; and they have done what’s expected of them,” he expressed.

He added that they engaged about 159 respondents which indicates that the committee had done what is expected.”