Legal Steps To Evict A Tenant In Malta

Evicting a tenant in Malta must be done through the correct legal process. Landlords cannot take the law into their own hands by changing locks or throwing tenants out, even if the tenant is in breach of contract.

In fact, self-help eviction is a criminal offence under Maltese law and constitutes the crime referred to as Ragion Fattasi. It is therefore for this reason that if you are a landlord and currently facing a similar situation, instead of taking the law in your own hands (despite how easier this option may seem to be) speak to a legal professional so that you are guided accordingly.

Instead, landlords must follow a formal procedure via the courts (specifically, the Rent Regulation Board) to regain possession of a rented dwelling. Maltese law allows eviction only on specific valid grounds. A landlord cannot arbitrarily evict a tenant before the lease term ends unless one of the legal reasons applies (and even then, a court order is needed).