4,000 houses of rented rooms in West Jakarta unlicensed

As many as 4,000 houses providing rooms for rent in West Jakarta are being operated without the necessary licenses, says an officer.

Housing and administration offices agency head Edy Marlan said Monday that each home owner who rents at least three rooms must have a permit as stipulated in a 1987 governors decree.

“The permit is free of charge,” he added as quoted by Antara.

“It takes 10 days to process the permit request. The license is valid for two years,” said Edy.

Although the decree carries light punishment, Edy said that he has the authority to close down the unlicensed businesses.

Edy said the license is important to avoid the possible misuse of the property, including for drugs and terrorism.