Dean Jones | Higher landlord costs could push Jamaican rents up

The next squeeze on Jamaican renters may begin somewhere they rarely look, not with the monthly rent notice, but with the cost of owning and maintaining the property itself.

Jamaica is not facing the same landlord tax changes currently causing concern in Britain, but the underlying economic question is increasingly relevant here. Property taxes are heading towards a major revaluation, building and repair costs have increased, apartment owners continue to carry strata expenses, borrowing remains relatively expensive, and landlords must also account for insurance, vacancies and general maintenance.

At the same time, tenants are already dealing with higher housing costs.