My Landlord Increased My Rent. What Questions Should I Ask?

Many California rentals — though not all, since some units are exempt — are covered by the statewide Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), which caps annual rent increases at 5% plus your regional inflation (CPI), up to a maximum of 10% in any 12-month period (Civil Code §1947.12).

The required advance notice depends on the size of the increase — 30 days for an increase of 10% or less, and 90 days for an increase over 10% (Civil Code §827). And in the City of Los Angeles, many rental units are covered by the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (LARSO) — the city's local law that limits how much rent can go up each year and restricts when a tenant can be evicted — which sets its own, often lower, limits. So the questions to ask are: Is my unit covered by AB 1482 or a local ordinance? Is this increase within the cap? Was the notice period correct? An increase that exceeds the cap, or skips the required notice, may not be valid.

A Few Things Worth Knowing

• AB 1482 cap: 5% + regional CPI, up to a maximum of 10% per 12 months (for covered units).
• Notice: 30 days for an increase of 10% or less; 90 days for more than 10% (Civil Code §827).
• The Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (LARSO) sets separate, often lower, limits for covered units in the City of Los Angeles.