Lease agreements entered into force on or prior to the 31st of May 1995 will now be regulated in accordance with the relevant amendments under Legal Notice 364 of 2020 [Reletting of Urban Property (Regulation) Ordinance] and Legal Notice 365 of 2020 [Mediation Act].
Should a dispute pertaining to such lease agreements arise, a compulsory mediation sitting must be attended prior to filing a constitutional case, for which sitting the parties may choose the mediator. If there is disagreement or if no application is made in this regard, a mediator will be appointed by the court within 15 days.
Amendments have also been effected on the applicable fees for mediation proceedings related to disputes on lease agreements. If such disputes are referred by the respective Court to the Malta Mediation Centre, the applicable registration fee and the fee for the issuance of notifications for the letter before the said Court need not be paid by the parties.
If the parties are in agreement as a result of the mediation proceeding, they shall be entitled to a refund amount to half the applicable filing fees. If, however, an agreement is not reached between the parties, the respective Court will hear the case filed before it.
Get in touch with SMM Advocates for queries related to the rental laws of Malta by sending an email to info@smmgroup.com.mt or call +356 21237167 to book an appointment.