The Addis Ababa City Housing Development and Administration Bureau has announced that landlords can no longer increase house rent prices based solely on their own desires. This new measure aims to stabilize the local housing market and protect tenants from arbitrary financial burdens. According to city officials, rental adjustments must now strictly align with official government frameworks rather than individual landlord preferences.
Kedist Wolde-Giorgis, the Head of the Bureau, revealed that nearly 500,000 houses have already been registered under a new digital system. This tech-driven initiative was launched to modernize and streamline the relationship between landlords and tenants across the capital. The database will serve as the primary tool for monitoring rental agreements and ensuring compliance with city housing policies.
The newly implemented digital system is specifically designed to eliminate unfair and groundless rent hikes that previously burdened residents. Instead of random increases, the government will conduct an annual market assessment that reflects the city’s actual economic conditions. Based on this research, an official statement will be released every year on July 7 to determine the maximum allowable percentage for rent adjustments.
Furthermore, the bureau clarified that landlords are strictly prohibited from evicting tenants simply because a contract has expired just to rent the property to someone else at a higher price. To prevent unnecessary hassle and displacement, extensive preparations are currently underway to allow lease renewals to be processed online. Officials emphasized that formalizing and renewing these rental contracts every two years is now mandatory.
This regulatory shift marks a significant step by the Addis Ababa administration to bring transparency and fairness to the urban housing sector. By leveraging technology and data-driven price caps, the city hopes to curb inflation and provide long-term stability for residents.