The National Assembly on the 26th passed an amendment to the Commercial Building Lease Protection Act at a plenary session in the afternoon. It was approved unanimously, with 258 in favor out of 258 present and no abstentions or votes against.
The amendment was prepared to block landlords' "indirect rent increases" by requiring them to clearly disclose the items included in maintenance fees in commercial lease contracts.
As instances increased of landlords effectively raising rent under the guise of maintenance fees, calls for reform of related systems have continued, led by self-employed groups. The amendment stipulates that when a tenant requests a breakdown of the imposed maintenance fees from a landlord, the landlord must provide it.
It also increases transparency in the standards for imposing maintenance fees by requiring that the standard lease agreement prepared by the Ministry of Justice specifically list maintenance fee items.
Earlier, considering that it was the parliamentary audit season, the ruling and opposition parties agreed to schedule the plenary session for a Sunday, when standing committees do not meet, and to process more than 70 noncontroversial bills.