Some P.E.I. renters can expect increases in new year

Landlords on P.E.I. can increase rental rates in the new year.

The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission has approved allowable increases for residential rent for 2015.

The increases are 1.75 per cent for heated units, 1.0 per cent for unheated premises, and 1 percent for a mobile home site in a mobile home park.

The commission says it considers a variety of factors when setting allowable rent increases. 

Those include submissions made by both landlords and tenants, the consumer price index, the rate of inflation and costs that go into operating an apartment unit.

The changes can come into effect on Jan. 1 but because this is an allowable increase, landlords will decide whether to raise rental rates or not.