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Rent Increase Notice Letter

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Rent Increase Notice Letter
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Updated August 19, 2024

A rent increase notice is a letter written by a landlord that informs a tenant of a rent increase. The letter is commonly used to raise the rent for a lease about to expire or to amend a month-to-month rental agreement.

After the tenant receives the notice, they will have the option to either accept or reject the notice.

Sending Notice

A certified letter (USPS) constitutes legal notice. After being sent, the landlord will receive a receipt detailing when the tenant received the notice.

Table of Contents

How to Legally Increase Rent (4 steps)

  1. Choose the New Rent Amount ($)
  2. Verify the Lease Terms
  3. Check the Required Notice Period
  4. Write and Send the Form

1. Choose the New Rent Amount ($)

landlord using tablet to research rent increase

Find comparable rent amounts in your area:

  1. 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.
  2. Zillow.com – Enter your address and be shown current properties for rent on a map.
  3. 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

landlord meeting with tenant couple to review original agreement

Check the lease terms and verify if it is ending or is a month-to-month rental agreement.

3. Check the Required Notice Period

landlord reviewing state laws for rent increase

Use the table below to determine the notice period in the State where the property is located (30 days is most common).

Required Notice Period

State Required Notice Period Statute
 Alabama – N/A
 Alaska 30 days PUB-30 Page 17
 Arizona – N/A
 Arkansas – N/A
 California 30 days if the rent increase is 10% or less and 90 days if more than 10%. CIV § 827
 Colorado – N/A
 Connecticut – N/A
 Delaware 60 days § 5107
 Florida – N/A
 Georgia – N/A
 Hawaii 45 days § 521-21
 Idaho 15 days § 55-307
 Illinois – N/A
 Indiana 30 days IC 32-31-5-4
 Iowa 30 days § 562A.13
 Kansas As mentioned in the lease § 58-2545
 Kentucky – N/A
 Louisiana – N/A
 Maine 45 days for less than 10% increase; 75 days for 10% increase or more § 6015
 Maryland 90 days for year lease; 60 days for month-to-month § 8-209
 Massachusetts 30 days The Attorney General’s Guide to Landlord and Tenant Rights
 Michigan – N/A
 Minnesota Rental Period + 1 day Landlords and Tenants Rights and Responsibilities
 Mississippi – N/A
 Missouri – N/A
 Montana 15 days § 70-26-109
 Nebraska As mentioned in the lease § 76-1414
 Nevada 45 days NRS 118A.300
 New Hampshire 30 days RSA 540:2
 New Jersey 30 days Dept. of Community Affairs (Rent Increase Bulletin)
 New Mexico 30 days § 47-8-15
 New York 30 days if tenant has occupied for less than 1 year and the lease term is not 1 year; 60 days if occupied for more than 1 but less than 2 years or if lease term is at least 1 but less than 2 years; 90 days if occupied for more than 2 years RPL § 226-c
 North Carolina – N/A
 North Dakota 30 days § 47-16-07
 Ohio – –
 Oklahoma – –
 Oregon 30 days § 90.220
 Pennsylvania – N/A
 Rhode Island 30 days § 34-18-16.1
 South Carolina – N/A
 South Dakota 30 days § 43-32-13
 Tennessee – N/A
 Texas – N/A
 Utah – N/A
 Vermont 60 days § 4455
 Virginia – N/A
 Washington 60 days RCW 59.18.140
Washington D.C. 30 days Rent Control Fact Sheet
West Virginia – N/A
 Wisconsin 28 days § 704.19
 Wyoming – N/A

4. Write and Send the Form

tenant sending rent increase counteroffer to landlord via mail

Complete the landlord notice and it is recommended to send the form via USPS Certified Mail.

How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent?

There is no federal law on how much a landlord can increase rent.

However, if the property is located in an area with rent control (such as some municipalities in California), the landlord will be subject to such limits.

Sample

RENT INCREASE NOTICE
[LANDLORD’S NAME]
[STREET ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE]
[TELEPHONE]
[E-MAIL]Date: [DATE OF THIS NOTICE]RE: YOU HAVE [#] DAYS TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTERDear [TENANT’S NAME],This letter serves as official notice that your monthly rent shall increase to $[NEW RENT AMOUNT] in accordance with the lease for the property located at [PROPERTY ADDRESS].This increase shall take effect immediately with the new rental amount due on [DATE WHEN NEW RENT STARTS].

If there is no response to this notice within the given timeframe, it shall act as acceptance of the new rental amount.

This notice shall act as an amendment to your lease and be attached if accepted. All other terms and conditions of the original lease shall remain in effect. If you, as the tenant, do not accept the terms of this change, then you may terminate the lease and vacate the premises.

If you should have any questions or would like to discuss the rent increase, feel free to contact me at any time.

Landlord’s Signature: _________________________ Date: ____________

Print Name: _________________________

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, [SENDER’S NAME], served the attached rent increase notice on [DATE OF SERVICE].

I served the rent increase notice by: (check one)

☐ – Delivering a copy to a tenant or occupant named on the rent increase notice. This person’s name is [RECIPIENT’S NAME].
☐ – Leaving a copy with a person who is at least 13 years old and is an occupant who is not named in the rent increase notice. This person’s name is [OCCUPANT’S NAME].
☐ – Sending a copy by certified/registered mail, with a return receipt from the addressee (USPS green card is attached).
☐ – Posting a copy on the property by: (check one)

☐ – Posting on the door.
☐ – Sliding underneath the door.

☐ – Other. [OTHER]

Sender’s Signature: _________________________ Date: ____________

Print Name: _________________________

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