Despite the rent freeze order in place for the eleventh consecutive year, landlords are still illegally increasing the rent.

The Consumer Council of Fiji and the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission have received significant complaints of the illegal practice.

Consumer Council Manager Alternative Dispute and Resolution, Pooja Singh says complaints relating to landlord and tenancy topped their list last year.

“The council has received a total of 61 complaints i.e. from 2014 till date so we have seen cases where tenants and consumers they come to the council to lodge their complaints where landlords have illegally increased rent.”

Singh is urging landlords to comply with the rent freeze order.

“What some landlord do is they try to do minor renovation and as a result they issue a notice to their tenants so the incoming tenants can pay increased rent which is illegal and we should not entertain it.”

Meanwhile, FCCC says they are still working on the Landlord and Tenancy Act.

The Rent Freeze has been extended until the end of this year.