A Few Good News

How's these for a treat? Here are a few good news for consumers:


Cellphone Loads

Beginning Sunday, July 19, 2009, the shelf life of cellphone load/credits will be increased, according to the National Telecommunications Commission. This resulted from the Senate Inquiry conducted when Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile complained about the "vanishing/missing loads" from cellular phones.

Additionally, beginning July 23, spam or advertisement sms messages sent by the telecommunication companies to their subscribers will be prohibited, unless consumers subscribes first from their promos.

The new shelf life of cellphone loads are as follows:

P10 - 50: 5 to 15 days
P51 - 100: 30 days
P101 - 250: 60 days
P251 - 300: 75 days




Rent Control Act of 2009

Republic Act 9653, or the Rent Control Act of 2009, signed by President Gloria Arroyo on July 14, specifies that there should be no rental increase for one year from the time the law has been signed and approved. Also, it puts a cap of not more than 7% increase of rental fees until 2013.

It also specifies the following conditions:


The law covers all residential units in Metro Manila with a monthly rent of P1 to P10,000 and all units in urban cities with a monthly rent of P1 to P5,000.

Violators face a fine of P25,000 to P50,000, or imprisonment of one month and a day up to six months, or both.

According to the law, when a unit becomes vacant, the owner may set the initial rent for the next renter. In the case of boarding houses, dormitories, rooms, and bed spaces, no increase will be imposed more than once a year.

It also says that rent will be paid in advance within the first five days of every month, or at the beginning of the lease agreement unless the contract of lease provides for a later date of payment.

It forbids the owner from demanding more than one-month advance rent and more than two-months deposit. Any interest in the deposit will be returned to the renter at the end of the lease agreement.

If the renter fails to pay rent or utility bills or destroys house property, the deposit and interest shall be forfeited in favor of the unit owner in the amount that would cover the arrears or damages.

The law prohibits the sub-leasing of the unit without the consent of the unit owner. This, together with the failure to pay rent for three months and the owner’s need to repossess the property or make necessary repairs to make it more safe and habitable, are grounds for judicial ejection.

The renter, however, cannot be ejected on grounds that the unit has been sold or mortgaged to a third person.

The unit owner may engage the renter in a rent-to-own agreement, which will be exempt from coverage of the law.



source: Inquirer.net