SANTO DOMINGO.- The Chamber of Deputies approved yesterday, Friday, in its second reading, the bill on real estate rentals and evictions, after a study by a commission that made amendments to 18 articles, taking into account the observations of a group of national entities linked to the real estate business.
The legislation, authored by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco, will be reviewed in the Senate in this next phase. The new instrument aims to reflect the current market, as the existing one dates back to 1959.
The special commission chaired by Deputy Amado Díaz held public hearings on June 25th, where representatives from various institutions were heard, who made their proposals, with a view to strengthening the proposal and achieving a functional instrument for both owners and tenants.
After analyzing the opinion of the various actors involved, the commission modified articles 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 (paragraph 4), 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19 (paragraph 4), 22, 24 (paragraph 4) and 26.
Article 27 was eliminated. It stated: "The tenant is responsible for any damages and deterioration caused to the property by the tenant, the people who live with him, and those who visit him, as well as those resulting from the misuse and exploitation of the property.".
Articles 37, 45 and 51 were also modified. Chapter IX was modified and an article was added to Chapter XVII.
Pacheco
Alfredo Pacheco congratulated the special commission led by Representative Amado Díaz for calling public hearings. "But before them, there was another commission, which I also congratulate, for bringing the bill to a point where it could be better understood by the public. That commission was led by my colleague Eugenio Cedeño, who also held public hearings," the legislator from the ruling party stated after the bill's approval.
He added that with the Real Estate Rental and Eviction Law, the country will be provided with a law that guarantees the rights of property owners, as well as tenants, which, he assured, will allow for the lower cost of rental properties in the Dominican Republic.
The legislative initiative received the support of deputies from various political parties, who, prior to putting it to a vote, took turns highlighting how beneficial the new law will be for the country.
