No rules on how landlords set rent, Counsumer Council reveals
Consumer Council says landlords set fees without oversight, driving disputes.
Friday 29 August 2025 | 01:30
Consumer Council of Fiji chief executive officer Seema Shandil.
Photo: Consumer Council of Fiji
There are no guidelines on how landlords determine rental rates, the Consumer Council of Fiji revealed on Thursday.
Council chief executive officer Seema Shandil told Parliament’s Standing Committee on Social Affairs that landlords operate without official pricing frameworks when setting property rental fees.
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There is no guidelines on such, there is just one self-regulating guidelines, but that’s just simply providing some guidelines to the landlords and the tenants on about how to lease out the property.
Seema Shandil, Consumer Council of Fiji chief executive officer
Existing guidelines only cover basic rental procedures like contracts and receipts, not pricing structures.
The council does not have any guidelines that provides how to set up rental rates.
The revelation comes as landlord and tenancy disputes remain the top complaint category for the council, having risen by 15 per cent between 2019 and 2020.
Committee member Alipate Tuicolo had asked whether rental rate guidelines existed and if they could be accessed by the public. The absence of rental pricing guidelines means landlords can potentially charge whatever they choose for their properties without official oversight.
Ms Shandil said the ministry and other stakeholders were working on a landlord and tenancy bill which officials hope will address many housing-related issues.
The council continues to provide advisory services to both landlords and tenants involved in disputes, helping them understand their rights and responsibilities.
Without clear rental rate guidelines, consumers may struggle to determine if they are paying fair market prices for rental properties. The council’s advisory role becomes crucial in helping tenants navigate rental agreements and understand their options when disputes arise.
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