KUCHING: Landlords and their tenants must have written agreements or contracts to avoid disputes.
This was pointed out by Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) chief of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Wilfred Yap, when he was asked to assist in giving legal advice to disgruntled landlords and tenants recently.
Yap said most of the problems arose due to lack of written and legally binding tenancy agreement.
Thus, he urged tenants and landlords to insist on written agreements to avoid future misunderstanding.
By having well-written agreements, which outline the duties, obligations and responsibilities of tenants and landlords, disputes would be minimised or eliminated.
In a dispute without a written agreement, it would be very difficult to prove who is actually is right or wrong.
He said a tenancy agreement allows tenants to use their rented properties for the entire duration their contracts as long as they continue to pay rent and follow the rules.
“Another thing that many people overlook is the importance stamping the tenancy agreement. In order for an agreement to be valid as a legal document admissible in court as evidence, it is compulsory for it to be stamped by the Inland Revenue Board,” he said.
He added that it is wise for the public to consult and engage lawyers to draft their agreements to reduce potential problems or disputes.
