THE iTaukei Land Trust Board is deploying staff members on a major rent arrears collection exercise in all regions for four months, beginning yesterday.
The objective is to have face-to-face discussions with tenants and or lessees who owe rent to the TLTB and persuade them to pay immediately or make payment arrangements.
TLTB general manager Alipate Qetaki in a paid statement said staff members from the finance department would collect rent arrears and at the same time conduct physical inspections on leased land.
He said they would also take an inventory of items located on the leased land, in the respective premises and also take photographs on site.
"TLTB will continue to take defaulting tenants to court and cases already in court will be pursued vigorously. Other options currently adopted by TLTB and available will be ongoing to ensure the maximum is achieved in rent arrears collection for the period of the exercise," Mr Qetaki said.
"All major police stations and police posts will be notified and queries can be directed to these police posts or to any of the TLTB regional offices."
It is understood this visit is the last strategy the TLTB is activating to recover arrears believed to be in the vicinity of more than $20million; and the repossession of personal items from leased properties owing rent could be an option.
Meanwhile, Mr Qetaki said all TLTB staff members would be carrying identity cards and that receipts would be issued for all payments made and collected on site. He said arrangements for payments could be made at any TLTB office within seven days of the visit or through other payment options discussed with the tenants and or lessees.