Parliament limits rent increases in Brussels

By Ata Ufuk Seker

BRUSSELS (AA) - The parliament in the Brussels-Capital Region limited rent increases in the capital for one year in Belgium.

It said it separated houses into classes from A to G, according to energy efficiency.

Landlords can increase rents by the inflation rate for homes with high-energy efficiency that are coded A, B, C and D.

Rents in home in the E-class can be increased by 50% of the inflation rate.

Low-energy-efficiency houses, F and G, were exempted from rent increases.

Thirty percent of houses in Brussels are classified in G class, while 15% in E and 20% in D.

The inflation rate was at it highest since 1975 -- at 11.27% in September.

Natural gas prices increased 134.9%, electricity prices were up 81.3% and heating oil prices rose 56.3% year-on-year last month.

*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun from Istanbul