People Urged To Review Landlord & Tenant Bill
The Consumer Affairs Board is urging people to review the Landlord and Tenant Act 2025 Consultation Draft Bill.
A spokesperson said, “The Consumer Affairs Board encourages all residents — landlords, tenants, and the general public — to review and provide feedback on the Landlord and Tenant Act 2025 Consultation Draft Bill, released by the Ministry of Home Affairs on October 6th, 2025.
“The new legislation is intended to update current residential tenancy laws and introduce measures addressing housing concerns.
“The draft bill introduces several significant changes that will affect tenancy agreements. These include a cap on the maximum security deposit a landlord can request, setting it at three months’ rent. The bill also formally establishes a five-business-day grace period for rent payments. Following this period, landlords may be permitted to apply a daily late fee, capped at 5% of the monthly rent for rentals under $60,000 per year. Additionally, the legislation calls for the creation of a new Landlord and Tenant Tribunal to handle disputes and complaints, including new provisions that allow tenants to apply to the Tribunal to recover costs for necessary repairs.
“It is essential that both landlords and tenants understand the details of the proposed legislation and submit their feedback. The public consultation for the Landlord and Tenant Act 2025 Draft Bill will close on October 31, 2025.
“The full text of the draft bill is available on the Government of Bermuda’s website: https://forum.gov.bm/. All comments, questions, and suggestions regarding the draft bill should be directed to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Consumer Affairs Board urges all affected parties to review the document and ensure their voice is heard before the deadline.”
The Landlord and Tenant Act 2025 – Consultation Draft Bill follows below [PDF here]:
“The Consumer Affairs Board encourages all residents — landlords, tenants, and the general public — to review and provide feedback on the Landlord and Tenant Act 2025 Consultation Draft Bill”
It does not matter what the public says, the PLP Government will pass whatever legislation it wants to pass.
As can be seen from the summary above, the PLP Government is removing the right of a landlord to negotiate terms with a tenant. After the passing of this Bill the choice will be to let premises on the Government’s terms or do not let the premises.
and those new government terms are not defined in the new bill either.
I also don’t like how they never show what they are changing and you have to do a manual comparison
ON social media and in person people are constantly complaining from both ends of the issue. The Government has listened and decided to pursue modernizing and updating this legislation. They are asking for consultation and feedback. And they are crucified by you.
Damned if they do, damned if they don’t.
Have you looked at and read the changes? There is some valid criticism that can be applied. Just because government makes something doesn’t mean it’s perfect and suits the job.
Who said anything about the bill being perfect? The whole point of this exercise was to review it and provide feedback.
“The whole point of this exercise was to review it and provide feedback”
Why bother? The PLP Government does not want public input.
The 5 day grace period and subsequent 5% late fee is the most idiotic idea ever. Who is drafting these proposals? If tenants are already struggling to meet rent payments, how exactly does penalizing them with additional fees or fines help the situation? Adding a financial burden to those who are late due to hardship only deepens their instability and increases the likelihood of eviction. Instead of late fees, the focus should be on mediation, income-based payment plans, or support mechanisms that help both tenant and landlord reach sustainable solutions. Punitive financial measures don’t solve affordability, they punish poverty. Ridiculous! I’m so sick of this country and the pure GREED! I can’t wait to LEAVE!
Yes late fees for someone who cannot pay their rent is pointless and getting them to pay rent arrears as well as them paying for damages is laughable .
A good reason why so may apartments remain empty for landlords that can afford not to have the rental income . Others choose short term visitor rentals .
It is a very difficult situation for both renters and landlords with no easy fix . Unfortunately the bad tenants ruin it for the genuine tenants ,not to downplay the bad landlords either .
Also not to downplay the genuine tenants who do fall onto hard times .
Most landlords will want to work with a good tenant who falls on hard times. Good tenants are worth keeping.
Yes, good tenants are hard to come by. Too many think nothing of getting a short term loan, without authorizastion by pay rent late. The landlord is not a bank. The landlord is not a loan shark. A landlord is perfectly entitled to charge a late fee. BELCO does it. Government does it. A number of businesses do it. A landlord has financial commitments too. Everyone relys on being paid ontime.
Don’t whine to the landlord that you have fallen on hard times when you have money for the top end cellphone plan, buy convenience food and travel. You have a priority assessment problem, not an income problem. That roof over your head is top priority.
I remember Col . Burch when he was head of the housing corp.
I did admire him when he told all the tenants that were in arrears for their rental and mortgage fees to bring in their passports to determine if they are still taking their annual or biannual shopping trips . That may be a way of determining who is genuine or not and what fees are applicable .
If there is no consequence for paying rent late, then rent will always be late. Some people always have an excuse.
When you don’t pay, you get evicted. Furthermore, what if they can only pay and do pay 90% of the rent but not the rest? How does it work then? You should count yourself blessed if you have never been in such a situation. Not everyone is willfully refusing to pay rent just because. Most people are one hardship away from not being able to make rent. You never know what life has in store for you or what’s next. Remember that because one day it could be you, so yes, further punishing them with fines is a slippery slope and should not be allowed.
However, it must be remembered that the landlord may be relying on that rental income to pay their mortgage. If the tenant doesn’t pay due to hardship, this is now causing hardship on the landlord and the banks are not hearing any of that. So now the landlord loses his/ her house and then what??!!
The banks don’t lend for mortgages based on potential rental income. If you can’t afford to pay back without any rental money you aren’t getting the loan.
“they punish poverty”
Sadly, that is the world we live in. Why should the PLP Government wage war on poverty when it is so much easier to wage war on poor people?
Here is a proposal: Increase all rents by 5% and offer a 5% discount if the rent appears in the landlords account on the due date, 1st of the month, or earlier.
Some real incentive to pay ontime. $150 on a $3000 rental. Pay ontime every month and that is $1800 that stays in the renters pocket per year.
A prompt payment discount!
The eviction process is way to slow. That is a huge problem. The landlord’s payment obligations go on. The landlord has creditors. They don’t want to hear about the landlord’s cashflow problems with a non paying tenant.
The courts treat the landlord as if they are Government, with an endless supply of money.
When you fall behind on payments on that car you really could not afford to buy the bank can reposess that car at very short notice. When you don’t pay BELCO you get cut off. When you don’t pay rent you get evicted in short order. Your financial problems are not the landlord’s problems.
This is messed up i don’t know how people could possibly afford to put 3 months rent as damage deposit that is crazy .. where I live landlords are not allowed to ask more then one month rent for damage deposit anymore then that is rediculose. I also don’t agree with it being ok for 5 days grace period on late rent I think that would be ok as a one time thing per yr but not regularly.
Bermuda runs one of the biggest rackets on this planet !!
“Bermuda runs one of the biggest rackets on this planet !!”
How so? Most countries have landlords and tenants, owners and renters.