Minister for regional development: regulated rent could be raised up to 12 percent

The minister for regional development has said that districts and towns should be allowed to raise regulated rent from between 6 to 12 percent per year for a period of five or six years. He added tenants whose rent exceeded 30 percent of their net income would be eligible for social support. The minister is confident his plan could gain support in Parliament, though coalition partner the Christian Democrats, and the country's largest opposition party, the Civic Democrats, are calling for a quicker increase. Around 750, 000 apartments in the Czech Republic are subject to regulated rent, of which roughly 300, 000 are privately owned.