Many house owners are motivated to waive house rents following His Majesty The King’s address to the Nation on April 10. During the address, His Majesty had announced deferment of all loans and waiver of interest for three months.
A house owner in Changjalu,Thimphu said he has three tenants who are directly dependent on the tourism sector.
“It is my moral conscience and compassion to pass on the benefits that His Majesty The King has granted to loan borrowers, to my tenants,” he said.
The owner is waiting for the official announcement from the bank, following which he plans to waive 30 -50 percent of the house rent.
Several house owners in other Dzongkhags are also planning to reduce their house rent. Dinanath Adhikari, a landlord who owns four buildings in Tsirang has decided to waive 50 percent house rent for twenty tenants, who work in the private sector and run small businesses.
He said he would also be waiving rents on a building he owns in Gelephug.
Meanwhile, in Phuntshogling, the owner of a ten-unit apartment has waived 100 percent house rent for tenants.
Deki, one of the tenants said, “We are really happy that our house owner has considered our rents. I run a Drayang and it has been closed for some time now. ”
Another owner of a 43 unit commercial building in the heart of Phuntshogling town has also waived 50 percent rent for three months.
Sonam Choden, a tenant, said the house owner has been very helpful during a critical time and urged other house owners to take similar initiatives.
With house rent accounting for over 50% percent of household expenditure, such acts of kindness and compassion are expected to help people who have been affected the most, in the wake of the pandemic.
Kinley Dem
