Moshi — THE National Housing Corporation (NHC) in Kilimanjaro region plans to construct 15,000 houses, provided they get land, this financial year, of which 70 per cent will be sold to low, medium and high income earners while the remaining 30 per cent will be rented.

The NHC Regional Manager, Mr Shehe Kombo, said the corporation in the region possesses 753 buildings which include residential houses and offices and business structures. Mr Kombo revealed that NHC has set a strategy of collecting monthly rents by 98 per cent and recover outstanding rental fees by 50 per cent.

He added that NHC will improve and sustain efficient services to its customers as well as resolve vexations afflicting its customers through enhanced productivity and work performance.

He disclosed that NHC rent collection in the region has substantially increased from 101m/- in January 2011 to 210m/- as at January this year, revenue which has benefited NHC, the regional government and the central government in general.

However, Mr Kombo noted that the regional NHC office was facing challenges in persuading its tenants to pay their due monthly rents promptly as currently outstanding rent totals 13.5m/- while 251.1m/- was unpaid rent, as at January this year, occasioned by some tenants who abandoned NHC quarters without prior notice.

He said NHC suffered financial losses after some of its tenants filed cases before courts of law challenging the new rental fees which have been endorsed by relevant authority, a move which denied NHC from collecting its statutory rental fees.

The move also led to dilapidation of certain structures, such as the building located at Plot 39 B along Kibo Road in Moshi municipality. Mr Kombo also revealed that NHC has continued to contribute to the regional development efforts, such as payment of 12.5m/- in property tax every year as well as land levy totalling 39.7m/- annually.