KPA continues renting  agricultural properties

Among its many  tasks, the Kosovo Property Agency (KPA) has a mandate to operate a Voluntary Rental  Scheme for properties administered by the KPA on the request of successful  claimants. The Voluntary Rental Scheme makes it possible for an owner or property  right holder (PRH) to receive an income by authorizing the KPA to rent out  their properties until they decide to use them in another manner. The scheme  also makes it possible for people who are interested in renting a residential,  commercial or agricultural property for their own use to do so through the KPA.

For an owner or  PRH, the Voluntary Rental Scheme provides legal and physical protection for their  property, and when the property is rented it ensures a modest income from the  property for the owner or PRH.  For those  who choose to rent properties, the Scheme makes it possible for illegal occupiers  to legalise their use of other people’s property through a rental agreement  entered into for a specified period with the KPA, which acts on behalf of the  owner or PRH. Such KPA services are applied consistently, and with openness and  transparency; all parties involved are treated in a sensitive manner.

There are currently  some 4,184 properties under KPA administration out of which 2,911 are  residential properties, the responsibility for which the KPA inherited from its  predecessor, the Housing and Property Directorate. The total number also  includes some 1,268 properties which were the subject of claims addressed  directly to the KPA (1,210 Agricultural, 2 commercial and 56 residential). To  date, some 955 properties are rented and it is expected that this number will  increase.

The average KPA rental price for a  residential property in Kosovo is 60 Euros. The highest rent obtained to date  is €209 for a 200sqm property in Pristina, while the lowest rent obtained was €15  for a 25sqm property in Kamenica. The rental price varies according to location  and size of the property as well as its state of repair.

The rental price  for agricultural properties depends on the size, class and condition of the  land rented. Rent varies from 20 to 64 Euros per year and is paid on a yearly  basis.  

There is a fixed  formula for calculating the rent for residential, commercial and agricultural properties,  which can be viewed at any time by visiting the KPA web site.The rental amount is not negotiable by  the owner or PRH or the tenant. If the owner or PRH believes that they can obtain  a higher rent for his or her property, he or she can withdraw the property from  the Voluntary Rental Scheme at any time subject to the completion of any contractual  obligations to rent the property entered into prior to a decision to withdraw  the property from the Rental Scheme.

For all those  who would like or need to rent a property in Kosovo, the KPA Voluntary Rental  Scheme remains one of the solutions available and can in many cases be of  benefit to both the owner or PRH and the tenant.

The KPA has  recently noticed increased interest from people who wish to rent agricultural  properties in the Gjilan/Gnjilane region. The KPA has to this point managed to  rent 10 agricultural properties and in the main the persons renting the  properties live nearby. When the rent has been paid, this has provided the tenants  with security for growing crops since there will be no KPA eviction before the  crop is harvested.

For those who  are interested, it is easy to become a tenant. All that is needed is a visit to  any KPA regional office where the necessary assistance and information about  how to rent a property under the KPA Rental Scheme will be provided.

All agricultural  properties available for rent will have a large green notice placed on the  property so that any person interested in renting the property will know that the  property is available. Available rental properties can also be viewed by searching  on our web site www.kpaonline.org.