A group representing Island landlords is calling for a loosening of P.E.I.’s rent controls which went into effect 17 months ago.
June Ellis, executive director of the non-profit Residential Rental Association of P.E.I., and board member Soubhi Abla appeared before a legislative committee Wednesday to plead their case.
The Residential Tenancy Act became law in April, 2023. It capped annual rent increases at three per cent, but allows landlords to apply to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission for an additional three per cent if warranted.
The rental association, which represents 7,500 units on P.E.I., wants three amendments to the legislation:
- Allow housing providers to set rental rates at market value after a tenant leaves voluntarily.
- Allow housing providers to request rent increases beyond the legislated additional three per cent limit “to ensure financial viability of the rental housing market.”
- Allow mobile home park owners to adjust their lot rents based on their expenses and not based on allowable rent increases.
Abla pointed to a case where rent had not been increased for years on a long-time tenant, but the landlord could not increase rent to market value after the tenant left voluntarily.
