A new website allows tenants to leave feedback on properties they’ve lived in and landlords they’ve interacted with in a bid to introduce a degree of transparency to a sector that is no stranger to shocking stories of abuse.

“It seems like every other week, a story makes headlines where landlords have either withheld deposits or been abusive to their tenants, among all sorts of other problems,” says Simon Theuma, one of the site’s co-founders.

“We definitely acknowledge that there are bad tenants out there, and since launching, we’ve heard many stories of landlords who go the extra mile to give a great experience to their tenants. We also want to give them the spotlight and celebrate their efforts.”

Keith Mock

Ikri provides a safe, anonymous platform to leave objective feedback about a tenant’s experience. 

Mr Theuma explains that reviewers don’t need to leave their personal details, and the platform takes measures to ensure only people who have actually lived at the property can leave their review.

“No identifiable information is made public in the review for both landlords and tenants. But the feedback can prove vital for potential newcomers to the island with no starting point.” 

Keith Mock, another co-founder, gives further details: “We ask about the condition of the property, the interactions with the landlord and how issues were handled, giving future tenants information they only learn after moving in, when it’s too late. Having this information readily available, tenants would be able to make an informed decision when selecting their next rental property.”

Mr Mock characterises renting in Malta as “a gamble,” pointing to news articles exposing the horror stories that some tenants go through, with one instance of a tenant having the entrance to their residence cemented shut, and even cases of assault.

“There’s a total lack of transparency, and it’s hard to get tenants to publicly complain about their issues out of fear of retaliation,” says Mr Theuma. “Ikri brings accountability and trust into the long let rental market by making real tenant experiences visible, helping others make more informed decisions.”

The new platform is endorsed by Solidarjetà, a trade union with a tenants section that has emerged as a major player in tenant-landlord disputes.

Solidarjetà President Matthew Attard tells WhosWho.mt that tenants have long lacked a centralised, transparent system to review rental properties.

Solidarjetà President Matthew Attard

“This has resulted in the reliance on informal or online networks to share experiences. This platform should introduce transparency to the sector, benefiting both tenants and responsible landlords,” says Mr Attard.

Mr Theuma notes that the platform will also include features that landlords will find useful in the coming weeks, but they want to focus on improving the core rental experience for tenants first and foremost.

Ikri, says Mr Mock, “was born out of first-hand experience with how difficult and uncertain renting can be in Malta.”

“Too often, tenants feel powerless once issues arise, and most of the time they can’t do anything about the situation. The motivation was to create a community-driven tool that gives tenants a voice, helps others avoid common pitfalls, and encourages higher standards across the rental market.”