Riya Mala 
The Consumer Council has raised concerns over a growing number of consumer complaints, with landlord-tenant disputes continuing to dominate the list.
Chief Executive Seema Shandil says the rental sector remains a major source of concern, with an increasing number of reports involving landlords unlawfully locking out tenants or disconnecting essential utilities.
She adds that these issues continue to persist, with frequent disputes between landlords and tenants.
Seema Shandil CEO Consumer Council of Fiji [file photo]
“Landlords refuse to refund bonds, they do not issue receipts, and they fail to provide proper terms and conditions. In many cases, they end up locking tenants out of their homes. There are also instances where tenants fail to make timely rent payments. So here, I would like to urge our tenants no matter what the issue is—you must continue to pay your rent.”
Shandil says there has been a steady increase in number of overall cases whereby 323 complaints were received in January compared to 370 in May.
She adds that comparing quarterly data from the 2024–2025 financial year, complaints rose significantly especially in Quarter 3, which recorded approximately 1,061 complaints, compared to 895 in quarter 2.
She also adds that these complaints have been gathered through the council’s ongoing market surveillance efforts.
However, Shandil assures that they are is working closely with various stakeholders to address these issues.
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