It is difficult to fathom the hypocritical behaviour of landlords in Kathmandu. Since this is the only section of the economy in Nepal where any person can make money, the most landlord tend to treat their tenants like dogs. All the while this is happening, the government of Nepal is a mute spectator.
Landlords are allowed to charge as much as they please from the tenants. This is because there is high demand for living space. If you cannot pay live like a squalor which again you have to dig deep into your pocket.
Even after paying, you are not given the basic facilities like water as water happens to be a scarce product in Kathmandu. Ironically Nepal happens to be the second richest in the world in water resources. Whatever little is supplied is solely for the landlords use. You as a tenant have to make do with the water pumped from the ground which is must say is highly polluted and no better than cleaning your toilet.
Beside this this the landlords have their sycophants, that because of what they are make trouble for the other tenants from which their draw extra privileges and help the landlords to increase the rent time and time again.
You as a tenant in Kathmandu have to listen to every dictate of the landlords who if you don’t will be asked to take your walking ticket for no fault of your own. You are paying heavily to be a underdog which the landlord can do as he pleases with you. You take it or leave as their are many other who are willing to take your place or live on the pavement. No one likes that so they would cut their stomachs to make the landlords richer by the month.
Most landlords in Kathmandu do no work but live like kings and spend as if there is no tomorrow on luxurious goods for themselves and their children all on the money paid by the tenants. Sadly, not even one per cent pay income tax on this illegitimate income.
More over landlords never live on the ground floor of their house but in the top most, where they have every facility which obviously comes from the money paid by the tenants. While, the same house that their own is never taken care of. They rooms, toilets and others are not even fit for pigs to live but under the circumstances people who pay from their hard earned money live.
The landlord along with their sycophants can make noise and disturb your piece of mind, but if your follow in the same direction, all hell is let loose on you. People are such that they will make up stories and demonize you in Kathmandu, all because they believe in right is might.
This is the case in most circumstances and it will be your lucky day if you get a true understanding landlord in Kathmandu. At times I feel that they are not humans but leeches of society. Since they were fortunate to own houses in Kathmandu, they believe that let us make hay while the sunshine and the government of Nepal allows this with impunity.
It is high time that the government of Nepal starts taxing the scrupulous landlords which should be the more they charge from the tenants, the higher they should be made to pay. It will only make them charge less from the tenants and also be heavy source of income for the government.
Steven William Pitts
1 comment:
Yes, it is about time something is done that this making of lopsided wealth made from the mercy of those who cannot afford to pay is done something about.
In a country where the minimum wages set by the government is only Rs6200 and a person has to pay two or three times that amount to live a decent life, seems absurd. There is something which is totally wrong with the government of Nepal for allowing a small section of society to become richer on the other section of society.
Post a Comment