Common Rent Increase Violations
Exceeding the State Cap
Under the California Tenant Protection Act, most landlords are strictly capped on how much they can raise rent each year. Rent hikes that exceed this legal limit are completely void.
Violating Local Rent Control
Many California cities have strict local rent stabilization ordinances that offer even stronger protections than state law. At Briscoe Law, we enforce these local limits to keep your rent lawful and affordable.
Defective Notice of Rent Increase
To be lawful, a rent increase must be served with proper, formal written advance notice. A text message or verbal demand is not a lawful written notice. Notice usually ranges from 30 to 90 days.
Retaliatory Rent Increases
It is illegal for a landlord to suddenly raise your rent as a punishment for requesting repairs or reporting health code violations. This is considered retaliation and carries severe penalties.
Understanding Your Rent Control Protections
Navigating rent caps can be incredibly confusing, as your legal protections may depend on the exact age of your building, your city, and the type of property you rent. Unscrupulous landlords often rely on this confusion to force illegal rent hikes on tenants who don’t know their rights.
Whether your building is protected by the statewide Tenant Protection Act or a local rent stabilization ordinance, any rent demand that violates these limits is legally unenforceable. Briscoe Law steps in to untangle the complex rent laws and stop illegal increases in their tracks.
How We Can Help
We can intervene immediately and notify your landlord or property manager that their rent increase demand violates state or local law.
If you have already been paying an illegally raised rent amount because you did not know your rights, we can take legal action to recover overpaid rent.
It is against the law for a landlord or property manager to try and evict a tenant who has asked for repairs or pointed out that a rent increase is unlawful, or to take away services or rights that the tenant previously enjoyed. We can pursue a retaliation claim on your behalf if the landlord or property manager retaliates.
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Free Consultation.
No attorney’s fees unless we win.
Our consultations are confidential.