House owners pass burden on poor tenants

Kakinada: The proposed hike of property tax has found its echo when some house owners have increased rents burdening the tenants further in Covid pandemic period.

In posh localities of Rajamahendravaram, Amalapuram, Kakinada and other areas, the house owners have been demanding rent ranging from Rs10,000 to 12,000 per month for three rooms. For giving portions to new tenants, they are also demanding an advance rent of three to four months. The tenants are shocked by the sudden development and expressing their helplessness to pay such high rent as some of them are not getting full salary. Many of them are not able to pay the electricity charges also.

The tenants, in particular middleclass are in a distressed State as their income is too low to pay the increased rent and electricity charges. Many of the middleclass people have either lost their jobs or their managements are not paying full wages. Teachers of private schools and colleges are not paid salaries regularly and hence they cannot meet higher rents. Similarly, people working in the small companies are too witnessing worst ever financial crisis of their lives.

All these sections have already worried over spiraling prices of essential commodities and fuel price hike.

Rate Payers Association, Kakinada president YD Rama Rao told 'The Hans India' that the proposed enhancement of property tax would adversely affect the tenants and many of them are not in a position to pay the higher rents. He said that they are opposing the proposed hike of property tax, particularly during the pandemic period. Property tax cannot be linked to the capital value of the property. "Property tax will be increased only after five years as per the Municipal Act. But the municipal authorities are increasing the taxes every year and flouting the conventional rules of revising it after five years," he said.

A tenant from Kakinada VT Lakshmi appealed to the government to take steps to curb the enhancement of rents by the house owners in the wake of proposed hike in the property tax.

On the other hand, the house owners argue that they are under pressure to pay EMIs of loans besides spending on minor house repairs and allied problems.