The rent of Hiyaa flats in Hulhumale Phase II will be reduced to MVR 5,300.
A government official confirmed to AVAS that the government on Thursday decided to lower the rent of the social housing flats to MVR 5,300. However, the decision would be officially announced by the relevant authorities, he said.
Urbanco, which manages the Hiyaa flats, said talks were ongoing with the President's Office and the Housing Ministry to reduce the Hiyaa flat rent.
"These [discussions] will result in a positive change for Hiyaa flat residents," Urbanco said in a statement.
For the most part, the Hiyaa Towers were constructed by former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom's government. The former government had decided to charge MVR 5,500 as monthly rent for the Hiyaa flat units. However, the current government decided that the rent charged on the Hiyaa flats would be MVR 7,500, with an additional MVR 1,000 charged as a monthly maintenance fee. The government had earlier said that MVR 7,500 was the minimum rent amount due to the number of loans taken to build the flats.
While Hiyaa flat recipients have been calling for a reduction in rent, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih gave an indication on March 19 that he would reduce the rents of the Hiyaa flats.
