I have been living in my residence for two years now, and have paid the same amount in rent the whole time.I pay on time, and with cash, and have no lease agreement.
But now my landlord wants to raise my rent ALOT!What can I do?
I'm assuming that you are not living in a subsidized rental unit, such as Section 8, which generally limits the amount a landlord may charge the tenant for rent. If you do not live in subsidized housing, the landlord usually can raise the rent any amount he or she wants so long as the landlord provides sufficient notice to the tenant about the increased rent. Usually, in a case where there is no lease, that notice would be one calendar month (which is not necessarily thirty days). For example, to raise the rent for January, the landlord would have to give the tenant notice of the increased rent no later than November 30, or a full calendar month before January 1.
So, the bottom line is this: unless you have a lease that limits any rent increase or you live in subsidized housing, a landlord can raise the rent to any amount so long as he or she gives the tenant sufficient notice of the increase. There are some limited exceptions, such as if the rent increase was in retaliation for something the tenant did legally (for example, complain about a housing condition), or if the rent increase was discriminatory against the tenant on the basis of the tenant's race, gender, or any other 'protected' legal status. if you believe the increase was in retaliation for something you did that was legal, or if you believe the landlord is discriminating against you, you should consult with an attorney.
