Public Consultation Opens on Residential Tenancies Amendments
The Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure (MPLAHI) has opened a public consultation on the Draft Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill and is inviting feedback from across the Cayman Islands.
The consultation runs from 7 August through 20 September 2026 and gives tenants, landlords, property managers, legal professionals, businesses, community organisations and members of the wider public an opportunity to review the proposed amendments and provide feedback before Government determines the appropriate way forward.
The Bill is a consultation draft. It has not been approved and is not law. The Ministry is seeking public input before determining whether the draft should be amended and whether the proposals should progress through the policy and legislative process.
Why this matters. Government has a responsibility to ensure that legislation governing residential tenancies remains fit for purpose and provides a clear, practical framework for tenants and landlords. Public consultation allows those who may be affected to identify practical considerations and provide informed feedback before decisions are made.
“A home is more than a place to live. It is where families grow, people build their futures and landlords make important investments. Our residential tenancy legislation must therefore continue to meet the practical needs of our community.
.
Before any decisions are made, we want to hear directly from the people who will be affected. Whether you are a tenant, a landlord, a property manager or simply someone with an interest in this legislation, I encourage you to review the consultation documents and share your views.
Good legislation is strengthened through public participation, and this consultation is an important opportunity for us to listen,” said Hon. Johany “Jay” Ebanks, Minister for Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure.
“Public consultation is an important part of responsible policy development. It allows Government to assess proposals, understand practical implications and consider a range of perspectives before decisions are made.
To support informed participation, the Ministry has published the draft Bill together with explanatory documents that outline the principal proposals in plain language. Every substantive submission received during the consultation period will be reviewed and considered as part of the policy and legislative process,” said Eric Bush, Cert. Hon., JP, Chief Officer for MPLAHI.
The draft amendments address governance and accountability, tenancy documentation, notification and service procedures, and enforcement. Key measures include:
• Establishing a Residential Tenancies Commission to replace the existing Residential Tenancies Commissioner, supported by strengthened governance, accountability and annual reporting arrangements;
• Clarifying the Minister’s responsibility for Government policy relating to residential tenancies;
• Strengthening identification, proof-of-ownership and authority-to-lease requirements within tenancy agreements;
• Allowing internet service charges to be included among tenant outgoings where agreed in the tenancy agreement;
• Requiring landlords to notify tenants within five days of listing or otherwise offering a rented property for sale;
• Introducing additional methods for serving tenancy termination notices where ordinary service is not possible;
• Clarifying that registration of eligible long-term tenancy agreements would remain optional; and
• Updating specified offences and penalties.
• The consultation materials provide plain-language explanations of the principal proposals. The full
• draft Bill remains the authoritative source for all proposed amendments.
All consultation information and documents are available at: publicconsultation.gov.ky
Written comments should be submitted to ResidentialTenanciesConsultation@gov.ky. The consultation closes at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, 20 September 2026.
Respondents are encouraged to identify the amendment, clause or issue on which they are commenting and explain whether they support the proposal or recommend changes. Reasons, examples or supporting information should be included where possible, together with an indication of whether the response is being submitted by an individual or on behalf of an organisation.
All substantive feedback received by the deadline will be reviewed as part of the policy and legislative process. Submissions may be shared within Government for policy and legislative review and may be reflected in summary or anonymised form in consultation reporting, where appropriate.
Following the close of the consultation, the Ministry will analyse the submissions, identify the principal themes and consider whether changes should be recommended. No final decision has been made on the draft Bill. The consultation findings will inform Government’s consideration of the appropriate next steps.
