Housing in Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands has no single national housing or rental system. In villages, people commonly obtain housing through a Landowning Group, family relationships, inheritance or customary permission. A Landowning Group is the customary group that controls access to particular land. Occupying or owning a house does not by itself prove ownership or secure rights to the land underneath it. Written records and local agreements become especially valuable when a customary arrangement changes or a household moves to an urban area. Urban housing may stand on registered or alienated land, government, private, provincial or church leases, or land with less certain tenure. Honiara and peri-urban settlements include informal arrangements where occupation may not have strong legal protection. The 2019 Census, the latest broadly documented national housing baseline in the research, recorded about 131,566 households. Rural households were about 82.0% owner-occupied. In urban areas, about 57.0% owned their homes outright, 18.2% rented from a private landlord, 9.3% occupied rent-free and 6.2% used subsidized rental housing. Honiara contained 66.7% of households renting from private landlords. A perpetual estate is an indefinite land interest generally available to Solomon Islanders, subject to statutory exceptions. A fixed-term estate, or FTE, is a time-limited interest that can last for up to 99 years. FTE holders may owe annual land rent and development obligations. The Land Board sets the land rent as a percentage of unimproved value, and payment is due on 1 January in advance. A registered lease or estate should be checked before money changes hands by inspecting the Registry and obtaining certified copies for the prescribed fee. Registration of a transfer or grant gives stronger protection, but actual occupation, a short lease or a periodic tenancy can still create an overriding interest. Private rental agreements may be written or oral. Exclusive occupation in exchange for rent without a written term generally creates a periodic tenancy, with the tenancy period matching the rent-payment period. Termination notice normally has to cover at least one tenancy period and expire on the rent due date. A tenant who complies with rent and other duties is entitled to peaceful enjoyment. A furnished dwelling, flat or room must be fit for habitation when the tenancy starts. After fire, civil commotion or an accident not caused by the tenant, rent may be suspended fully or partly until the premises are fit again. If the premises remain unfit for at least six months, the tenant may end the tenancy with one month's written notice. Tenants normally pay rent on time and meet rates, taxes and other outgoings assigned by the agreement or applicable law. They must repair damage caused by their own breach after notice, while fair wear and tear is excluded. The lessor or agent may enter at convenient times after reasonable notice. Subletting or transferring possession generally requires the lessor's prior written consent. A lease may also require boundary maintenance, access roads and compliance with development conditions. Removing gravel, stone, coral, sand or earth from a fixed-term estate requires the Commissioner's consent. A Temporary Occupation License, or TOL, can provide a formal way to occupy certain land where a house already stands. An applicant can obtain an area map at the MLHS customer counter for SBD 30 and submit a simple letter to the Land Board or TOL Officer. After approval, the fee is SBD 100 for each year in which the house stood on the land, including the current year. Renewal after expiry for more than one year depends on the period of expiry. Conversion from a TOL to a fixed-term estate requires an application and map, assessment by the TOL Officer, a Land Board decision, payment of arrears and a postal address. Permission to use customary land does not automatically replace planning or registration requirements. A Planning Permit may be required in a Control of Development Area through the Honiara or relevant provincial Town and Country Planning Board. The Honiara City Council or the relevant provincial government can identify the applicable planning process. Public Service Rental is an employment-linked scheme rather than a general housing benefit. Eligible public servants normally follow a process involving Form 21 endorsed by HRM and approved by the Permanent Secretary, a Government Housing Division compliance check, property inspection, rental valuation, rental approval, a Tenancy Agreement and ministry payment through Finance. Commercial home loans from BSP or ANZ may support buying, building, renovating or refinancing, but approval depends on the bank's lending criteria, income, employment, debts, assets, rates and fees. Banks typically request identification, proof of address and evidence of income or employment. No universal state mortgage access is established by the available research. Private rent, deposits, utilities, registration, searches, surveys and banking charges vary. Solomon Islands has no reliable national rental-price index or standard rent schedule. The Land Board, Commissioner of Lands and Registrar handle different matters involving allocation, registration, TOLs, land rent and forfeiture. Customary land disputes generally begin in the Local Court, with appeals to the customary land appeal court within three months. Other statutory land and lease matters may go to the High Court. The Public Solicitor's Office offers weekly civil, family and land clinics in Honiara, with legal-aid eligibility depending on finances, the matter, age, disability and communication needs. A lessor seeking forfeiture for a lease breach must specify the breach, provide a period to remedy it and use the court process for occupied premises. Self-help eviction cannot be assumed. When a fixed lease ends, a registered surrender or cancellation may be required. Holding over with the lessor's consent and acceptance of rent can create a periodic tenancy on the previous conditions.