What is a Notice of Rent Increase?

A notice of rent increase is a written letter sent by the landlord to the tenant informing them of a change in the amount of money to pay as the amount of rent. Other related terms for this include: notice of rent increase letter, notice of rent increase form, and letter to tenant increasing rent.

What Landlords Must Know Before Giving Notice of Rent Increase

There are specific measures landlords must take in order to raise the rent, which are intended to safeguard tenants against unreasonable and unjustified increases.

No rent increase is lease permitted during the lease period unless clearly stated differently in the lease agreement: The renter agreed to rent the property at a particular price, which will stay in effect until the lease ends. When a new lease agreement is about to be signed, or after the existing lease has expired and the tenant agrees to an extension, a landlord might suggest a rent increase.There should be an allowance time:If a landlord wishes to raise a tenant’s rent, the landlord must provide written notice to the tenant. This notification can be presented in person in paper and pen or sent to the renter via email. Sending the mail via certified mail is always a better idea since it gives notice that the renter actually received the email on time. Just telling the renter through word of mouth may not suffice since there is no concrete evidence that there was an agreement.Landlords may determine how much to raise the rent: The law makes no restrictions on how much landlords may raise rent. It does state how it must be done, as well as what the renter may do if they disagree with the new rent amount.Rent decreases: In some cases, the rent can be decreased. For a certain time period or event. A landlord and a tenant may agree on a temporary rent decrease for a specified length of time. For example, if a room is being repaired and cannot be utilized for a while. When the term expires or the work is completed, the rent reverts to its previous level. This is not a rent increase, and it is not required.

How to Write a Notice of Rent Increase?

Step 1: Name of the Tenant

Place the name of the person to whom the notice is for because you may have a big property and the wrong person might receive the notice that would cause some confusion.

Step 2: Address of the property rented

If you, as a landlord, has a lot of properties, you should specify which ones you are increasing the rent to. Put the entire address and you may also be any more specific than that.

Step 3: Name of the landlord and contact info

There should also be the name and the contact information of the landlord for the cases that the tenants would verify if it’s really the landlord that gave them notice and to attend to their questions about why there is an increase.

Step 5: Date written

Write the date of when the notice was written because this is to know that the notice was written before the lease and there should be an allowance of days, depending on your state’s law, for the tenant to prepare for the next move. They either agree or they find another place to move.

Step 6: Date of effect

Write the date of when the increase will take effect and make sure that it is not the actual date that the tenant receives the notice. This might shock them plus this is illegal.

Step 7: Amount increase

Specify the amount of increase apart from the total amount to give a clear calculation of how much the amount of increase is.

Step 8: Current amount

Also specify the current amount after the increase, break the amounts down to give a clear calculation of how much the new amount after giving notice of rent increase.

Step 9: Tenant’s decision

Make a place for the choice of the tenant – whether they would submit to the increase or they would decline and find another place to stay. There should be place for a tenant’s reply to a notice of rent increase

Step 10: Signatures

Always put the signatures of the tenant and the landlord. This is an important part and indicates that there is an understanding and to make the notice valid.

FAQs

1. Can you email a notice of rent increase?

If the lease allows, email can be used to convey a rent increase notice in several states. While it is easy, it is difficult to ensure that your renter got and opened the email.

2. What are the reasons for Increasing rent

Some of the reasons a landlord may increase rent are when there is an increase in property taxes, increase in the cost-of-living, increase in insurance premiums, increase in homeowner association fees or condo fees and annual inflations.

3. When can you NOT increase the rent?

You cannot increase the rent if the lease has not expired, and an increase is not permitted, In accordance to state and municipal rules, adequate advance notice was not provided, local rent control or rent stabilization regulations are broken, tenant retaliation for requesting repairs or reporting a housing code violation, discriminating against tenant because of his or her ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, and lastly, the landlord raises the rent in bad faith fording the tenant to move out.

You are the only one who can make this decision in knowing whether or not it is worthwhile to put in the effort to become a landlord. Simply look before you leap, and go into your new venture with reasonable expectations and a strong game plan. You’ll be more prepared for what you’re putting yourself into and more likely to appreciate the experience if you know what you’re getting yourself into before you do it.