How to Legally Increase Rent (4 steps)
1. Decide the New Rent Amount ($)
When justifying the new rent to a tenant, it is recommended to have comparables of other rents in the area. This will allow the tenant to understand the reasons for the new amount.
Finding Comparable Rents (3 websites)
- Rentometer.com: Simply enter the address and the number (#) of bedrooms and be shown the average monthly rent along with real-time asking rents in the area.
- Zillow.com: Enter your address and be shown current properties for rent on a map.
- Craigslist: Select your area > Apts / housing > and enter your mailing address to be shown pictures and maps of the properties with current monthly rent amounts.
2. Verify the Lease Terms
Check the terms depending on the type of lease:
- Standard Lease: Check to confirm the termination date. Once verified, it is recommended to send a rent increase letter 60-90 days before the expiration date.
- Month-to-Month Lease: Check to confirm the minimum notice requirement to increase the rent or terminate the lease (commonly 30 days).
3. Check State Laws
For a month-to-month lease, the landlord must check their respective State laws to ensure enough notice is being provided to the tenant.
| State | Required Notice Periods | Statutes |
| Alabama | 30 days | § 35-9A-441(b) |
| Alaska | 30 days | § 34.03.290(b), PUB-30 (Page 17) |
| Arizona | 30 days | ARS § 33-1375(B) |
| Arkansas | 30 days | § 18-17-704(b) |
| California | 30 days if the increase is 10% or less within a 12-month period. 90 days if the increase is more than 10% within a 12-month period. | CIV § 827(b) |
| Colorado | A tenancy for 1 year or longer, 91 days; A tenancy of 6 months or longer but less than a year, 28 days; A tenancy of 1 month or longer but less than 6 months, 21 days; A tenancy of 1 week or longer but less than 1 month, or a tenancy at will, 3 days; A tenancy for less than 1 week, 1 day. | § 13-40-107 |
| Connecticut | 3 days | § 47a-23(a) |
| Delaware | 60 days, if the tenant does not notify the landlord within a minimum of 45 days of the last day of the term, the increase is deemed accepted. | Title 25 § 5107 |
| District of Columbia | 30 days | § 42–3505.54(a) |
| Florida | 30 days | § 83.57(3) |
| Georgia | 60 days | § 44-7-7 |
| Hawaii | 45 days | § 521-21(d) |
| Idaho | 15 days | 55-307(1) |
| Illinois | 30 days | 735 ILCS 5/9-207(b) |
| Indiana | 30 days | § 32-31-5-4 |
| Iowa | 30 days | § 562A.13(5) |
| Kansas | 30 days | § 58-2570(b) |
| Kentucky | 30 days | § 383.695(2) |
| Louisiana | 10 days | CC 2728(2) |
| Maine | 45 days if the increase is less than 10% of the current rent. 75 days if the rent is 10% or more. | Title 14 § 6015 |
| Maryland | 60 days | § 8-209 |
| Massachusetts | 30 days | Ch. 186 Sec. 12 |
| Michigan | 30 days | § 554.134(1) |
| Minnesota | 30 days | § 504B.135 |
| Mississippi | 30 days | § 89-8-19(3) |
| Missouri | 30 days | § 441.060(1) |
| Montana | 15 days | § 70-26-109 |
| Nebraska | 30 days | § 76-1437(2) |
| Nevada | 60 days | NRS 118A.300 |
| New Hampshire | 30 days | RSA 540:2(IV) |
| New Jersey | 30 days | Dept. of Community Affairs – Rent Increase Bulletin |
| New Mexico | 30 days | § 47-8-15(F) |
| New York | A tenancy for less than one year, 30 days; A tenancy of one year but less than two years, 60 days; A tenancy of 2 years of more; 90 days. | § 232-C(2) |
| North Carolina | 7 days | § 42-14 |
| North Dakota | 30 days | § 47-16-07.2 |
| Ohio | 30 days | § 5321.17(B) |
| Oklahoma | 30 days | § 41-111(A) |
| Oregon | 90 days | § 90.323(2)(b), 90.600(2)(a) |
| Pennsylvania | A tenancy for one year or less, 15 days; A tenancy for more than one year, 30 days. | § 250.501(b) |
| Rhode Island | 60 days for individuals under 62 years of age, 90 days for individuals over 62 years of age. | § 34-18-16.1 |
| South Carolina | 30 days | § 27-40-770(b) |
| South Dakota | 30 days | § 43-32-13 |
| Tennessee | 30 days | § 66-28-512(b) |
| Texas | 30 days | § 91.001(b) |
| Utah | 15 days | § 78B-6-802(b)(i) |
| Vermont | 60 days | § 4455(b) |
| Virginia | 30 days | § 55.1-1253(A) |
| Washington | 60 days for non-subsidized tenancies and 30 days for subsidized tenancies. | RCW 59.18.140(3) |
| West Virginia | 30 days | § 37-6-5 |
| Wisconsin | 28 days | § 704.19(3) |
| Wyoming | – | No statute |
4. Write and Send the Form
After the rent increase notice is written, it is recommended to send the form via USPS Certified Mail. In this method, the landlord receives a receipt as evidence that proves the tenant received notice.
Federal Precedent
Under Bass v. Hoagland (1949), it specifies that “where a statute provides for notice by a particular method, the method prescribed must be followed.”[6]
Illinois State BAR
The Illinois State BAR recommends landlords send all notices by certified mail with a return receipt, which is an acceptable method of delivery in all 50 States.[7]