I’ve spent the better part of the last decade working as a property manager and long-term rental consultant, and a significant slice of that time has been focused specifically on long lets Malta attracts—teachers on multi-year contracts, iGaming professionals, couples relocating from the UK or mainland Europe, and retirees testing the waters before committing to a purchase. I didn’t start out specializing in long lets; I backed into it after watching too many tenants struggle with poorly structured agreements and too many landlords underestimate how different Malta is from the markets they came from.
My first real lesson came from a couple who had just moved over from Manchester. They’d signed what looked like a perfectly reasonable two-year lease on a Sliema apartment, only to realize three months in that summer humidity and thin limestone walls were going to be part of their daily reality. The flat looked immaculate during winter viewings. Living in it through August was a different story. That experience shaped how I now advise both tenants and owners: in Malta, long lets are less about the contract length and more about how livable the property is across seasons.
One thing people consistently underestimate is how micro-location matters here. I’ve managed apartments that were technically five minutes apart but lived very differently. A place just off a busy arterial road in Gżira can feel relentless once schools reopen and traffic ramps up, while a slightly tucked-away street nearby stays surprisingly calm year-round. I once had a tenant insist on breaking a lease early because delivery trucks idled outside their bedroom window every morning at dawn. On paper, the flat was “central and convenient.” In practice, it was exhausting. That’s the kind of detail you only learn by being on the ground, listening to complaints, and walking properties at odd hours.
From the landlord side, I’ve seen well-intentioned owners sabotage otherwise solid long lets by cutting the wrong corners. One landlord furnished a two-bedroom in Msida with stylish but flimsy furniture clearly meant for short stays. Within a year, drawer runners were failing and sofa frames were creaking. Long-term tenants live differently. They open and close everything more, they notice small annoyances, and they expect fixes to last. After replacing half the furniture with sturdier, less flashy pieces, tenant turnover stopped being a problem.
Another recurring issue is unrealistic expectations around maintenance. Malta’s climate is hard on buildings. Salt air, humidity, and summer heat take a toll, especially on older properties. I’ve had landlords balk at routine dehumidifier replacements or AC servicing, only to face mold complaints later that cost far more to resolve. In one case, a small water ingress issue ignored through winter turned into a full ceiling repair by late summer. Long lets reward preventative thinking, not reactive fixes.
For tenants considering a long let here, I always suggest spending time in the property at different points of the day if possible. Listen to the street. Check water pressure at peak hours. Open wardrobes and look for signs of damp, not just fresh paint. I’ve walked prospective tenants away from places that looked fine at a glance but had subtle red flags I’d learned to spot after years of callbacks and late-night repair runs.
What keeps me recommending long lets in Malta—despite the learning curve—is the stability they can offer when done right. I’ve watched tenants settle into neighborhoods, build routines, and stay for years because the property fit their actual lives, not just their budget. I’ve also seen landlords enjoy steady income with minimal drama once expectations were aligned and the setup was honest.
Long lets here aren’t about squeezing the maximum rent or locking in the longest possible term. They work best when both sides respect the realities of the island: the climate, the building stock, and the way people actually live day to day. After years of managing the fallout when those realities are ignored, that’s the one principle I don’t compromise on anymore.