Tenants of the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) are speaking out about what they describe as frustrating policies, selective treatment, and prolonged maintenance delays that are leaving many residents in difficult situations. While the BHC was designed to provide affordable housing solutions for low-income families, some tenants feel they are being unfairly blocked from opportunities that could help them achieve financial stability and better living conditions.
One of the primary concerns raised involves the Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) program, which is meant to adjust rent based on a tenant’s income. However, some tenants claim they have been denied access to the program for reasons that seem arbitrary or designed to keep them from progressing.
“I was told I couldn’t apply for RGI based on where I was renting, then later told I still couldn’t apply even after moving into a BHC-owned property,” one tenant explained. “Then, when I cleared my arrears, I was told I had to wait until my lease was up—eight months later. It just feels like a system designed to keep us stuck.”
Another major issue is the alleged lack of urgency when it comes to property maintenance. Tenants report waiting months for necessary repairs, with some problems going unresolved until conditions become unlivable. “If you’re not on their good side, it feels like they take even longer to fix things,” another tenant said. “And by the time they do address the issue, it’s so bad that they end up just moving you out instead of fixing it.”
There are also concerns about the management of available units. Some tenants claim that BHC properties sit empty because they have fallen into disrepair due to years of neglect, exacerbating the housing crisis. “There are units that could be rented out, but they weren’t maintained properly while occupied, so now they’re in such bad shape that they can’t even be used.”
Beyond infrastructure issues, tenants feel that favoritism and personal biases influence how individuals are treated within the system. Many believe that the process for assigning units is not always fair, with some people waiting years while others seem to move in quickly due to personal connections.
“The biggest problem in Bermuda overall is that everything depends on who you know,” one tenant stated. “It’s not always about need—it’s about connections.”
In a recent development, tenants were surprised by a sudden request for pay stubs, a policy that had never been enforced before. “I’ve been renting with them for years, and they’ve never asked for this. Now, suddenly, they are. It makes us wonder what they’re trying to find out and why they weren’t doing this from the beginning.”
While tenants acknowledge that BHC has helped many individuals and families find housing, they argue that inconsistency in policies, maintenance delays, and selective treatment are undermining the corporation’s mission. They are calling for greater transparency, fairness, and efficiency in the way housing matters are handled, urging BHC to uphold its responsibility to provide safe, habitable, and accessible housing for those who need it most.
TNN News reach out to the Minister of Housing the Hon. Zane DeSilva and anticipate a response to the concerns of the tenants.
Photo courtesy of the RG
Any content which is considered unsuitable, unlawful, or offensive, includes personal details, advertises or promotes products, services or websites, or repeats previous comments will be removed.
User comments posted on this website are solely the views and opinions of the comment writer and are not a representation of or reflection of the opinions of TNN or its staff.
TNN reserves the right to remove, edit or censor any comments.
TNN accepts no liability and will not be held accountable for the comments made by users.