Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

Re: rental price changes

Bad news! It is legal!

Unless Mountain View recently enacted a rent ordinance, under the facts you assert, this is legal. It also works your way (you can leave).

Here is the law:

How much can a landlord legally raise the rent?

Under California Law there is currently no maximum limit for rent increases.

As of January 1, 2001, a landlord must give the tenant at least 30 days’ advance notice if the rent increase is 10 percent (or less) of the rent charged at any time during the 12 months before the rent increase takes effect. A landlord must give 60 days’ advance notice if the rent increase is greater than 10 percent. (Civil Code Section 827b.)

Buildings under rent control in cities such as City of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, fall under different rules. For example, in Los Angeles, owners of buildings that fall under rent control can only raise the rent 3% per year. Landlords can raise the rent one additional percent (1%) for gas and/or one percent (1%) for electricity when the landlord pays all the costs of either of these services for the tenant.

Please feel free to e-mail, or call, my office if you need more.

Re: rental price changes

Contact the Mountain View housing office and see if there are restrictions on rent increases.