Cap. 604 Art. 2Interpretation. 

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"the Act" means the Private Residential Leases Act;

"Adjudicating Panel" means the Adjudicating Panel for Private Residential Leases established by article 23;

"Authority" means the Housing Authority established by article 3 of the Housing Authority Act;

"Board" means the Rent Regulation Board established by article 16 of the Reletting of Urban Property (Regulation)

Ordinance;

"building" or "premises" means a house or other building, or part thereof, which is used or may be used for residential purposes in accordance with the provisions of the relevant laws;

"dwelling house" means a building or part of a building separately let, which includes any land or garden forming an integral part, or enclosed within the precincts of such dwelling house, but does not include any movable structure, vessel or vehicle;

"lease" shall also include sublease;

"lessee" means the lessee of the premises, or his spouse, civil union partner, cohabitant or a member of his family up to the second degree, whether direct or collateral;

"letting of shared residential space" means the letting of any separate space in an apartment or building, with shared amenities, such as kitchen and bathroom facilities;

"long private residential lease" means any lease, negotiated for a primary residential purpose in accordance with article 8 and which is not a short private residential lease;

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for housing;

"private residential lease" means any long or short private residential lease, including the letting of shared residential space, which is entered into after 1st January, 2020, and any lease for a residential purpose entered into before the 1st January, 2020, which would still be in its original or renewed period on the 1st January, 2021;

"residence" means a tenement let for a primary residential purpose:

Provided that guest houses or dormitories shall not be considered as a residence for the purpose of this Act:

Provided further that tenements in the island of Malta and which are occupied by residents of the island of Gozo and Comino due to employment or education on the island of Malta shall also be regulated by this Act. The same shall apply to residents of the island of Malta, who occupy tenements in the island of Gozo and Comino due to employment or education on the island of Gozo and Comino:

Provided further that where the tenement is being leased by a company for the purpose of accommodating its employees and the occupant is paying any form of consideration to the company, the relationship between the company and the occupant shall be deemed a sublease, subject to the provisions of this Act:

Provided further that any property or part of a property used as a residence must be fit for habitation; "resident" means a lessee as defined under this article, including any other occupant;

"short private residential lease" means any lease, negotiated for a duration of six (6) months, which is meant to satisfy the need of the following categories of lessees:

(a) non-resident workers who are employed either for a period less than six (6) months or only to complete a specific task within a maximum period of six (6) months;

(b) non-resident students who are enrolled in courses for less than six (6) months;

(c) residents who need to rent an alternative primary residence for a period of less than six (6) months;

(d) non-residents who need to rent a tenement for a period of less than six (6) months, provided that they would not be seeking to establish their long residence in Malta:

Provided that a contract of short lease shall identify the specific category within which the lessee falls into and attest it through attached documentation. In the absence of either of these requirements the contract shall be deemed to be a private residential lease in accordance with article 8:

Provided further that any short private residential lease negotiated for a period exceeding six

(6) months shall also be deemed to be a private residential lease in accordance with article 8:

Provided further that short private residential leases may not be extended;

"tourist" means any person who is traveling to and staying in places outside his usual environment for not more than one (1) consecutive year for leisure, business or other personal purposes other than by taking up employment or to establish his business in the place visited.