The Minister of Construction, Housing and Urban Development Dr. Abdulla Muththalib, has sharply rebuked Malé City Council for stalling the resident registration process for government flats. He dismissed the Council’s concerns as baseless.
Moreover, he warned that the standoff risks undermining the broader Maldives social housing policy.
The minister fielded the question during a parliamentary session. North-Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim had raised the matter, focusing on resident registration and the agreements drawn up by Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) for the flats.
Sale and Purchase vs Rent-to-Own
Dr. Muththalib laid out the technical position clearly. Every social housing project to date has run under Sale and Purchase agreements. These contracts spell out the total cost over the full term. Monthly payments simply act as instalments.
Crucially, the only real change is the terminology. Under the old Sale and Purchase model, property title only transferred after the final payment. The new Rent-to-Own model works in exactly the same way. Residents secure full ownership only after completing consistent rent payments across a 25-year period.
“Therefore, this is an attempt by the Malé City Council to cause unnecessary inconvenience to the public,” the minister stated.
He further accused the Council of trying to manufacture friction between the public and the state. According to him, the Council’s refusal carries no legal weight. The government has already communicated this position formally.
“We have formally instructed FDC to inform the City Council to facilitate this process,” he added.
Background: A Persistent Housing Crisis
Housing remains one of the Maldives’ most pressing challenges. Malé ranks among the world’s most densely populated capitals. Consequently, generations of residents have endured cramped flats, rising rents, and long waiting lists. Successive governments have launched flat schemes to ease the strain. However, allocation disputes, registration bottlenecks, and stalled projects have repeatedly slowed delivery.
The Government’s 2028 Housing Pledge
The current administration has placed housing at the centre of its development agenda. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has pledged to resolve the country’s housing shortfall by 2028. The Maldives social housing policy now rests on several flagship pillars.
The Binveriyaa scheme allocates serviced land plots to qualifying residents. Meanwhile, the Gedhoruveriyaa programme delivers ready-built flats. In addition, the flagship Rasmalé project will reclaim new land near the capital to deliver tens of thousands of homes over the coming years. FDC serves as the corporate vehicle steering much of this rollout.
Long-Term Schemes and Public Relief
The Rent-to-Own structure forms a cornerstone of the wider strategy. It spreads payments across a generation. Consequently, working families gain a realistic path to ownership without sinking large upfront capital. This long-horizon approach mirrors the administration’s broader pitch: ownership through patience, not pressure.
The government argues that such schemes will finally lift the housing burden weighing on Maldivian households. The Maldives social housing policy aims to deliver both volume and affordability. However, registration delays at the council level risk undermining momentum on the ground.
For now, the Ministry insists the path is clear. FDC has its instructions. The Council, the minister maintained, must move forward with resident registration without further delay.