How can I increase the rent for my tenants?

If you are a landlord in California, there are steps you must take to increase the rent for your tenants. Before you can raise the rent, you must give your tenants written notice of the rent increase. The amount of notice you must give depends on how often the tenant pays their rent. For example, if the tenant pays rent monthly, you must give them a minimum of 30 days notice before the increase is put into effect. If your tenants are tenants-at-will, you must give them at least a 60-day notice before increases to the rent take effect. Tenants-at-will are those who are on a month-to-month rental agreement. California state law also sets a cap on how much you can raise the rent. The rent increase cannot exceed 10 percent of the current rent in any 12-month period. It is also important for landlords to be aware of the local rent-control laws in their area. Rent-control laws limit how much landlords can increase rent, and in some places, the landlord may not be able to increase rent at all. In addition, if your tenants have a written lease, the terms of the lease supersede any changes you make to the rent. For example, if the lease states you must give 90 days notice before increasing the rent, you must adhere to these terms. It is always important to make sure that you are in compliance with the law when increasing the rent. If you fail to follow the proper procedures when increasing the rent or break the law, you risk facing fines and other legal action.

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