Renter's Rights in Long Beach, California: Rent Increases

Long Beach is located in Los Angeles, California, the largest county in the country. Long Beach offers residents many different rental options including renting one of its many rent-controlled apartments. Long Beach residents have a right to object to a landlord's rent increase if the tenant is leasing a rent-controlled unit. Tenants in non-rent-controlled buildings can object to a landlord's increase if the landlord failed to follow the state's notice laws.

Landlords in Long Beach, California, may raise their rental fees if their leases contain provisions allowing for an increase during the tenancy. If their lease agreements do not contain these provisions, then the landlords must use the state's default notice regulations. If their lease agreements specifically disallow increases, then landlords may not increase their current rental fees.

To legally raise rent, landlords must comply with the state's notice requirements. If landlords have a month-to-month agreement with their Long Beach tenants, then the landlord must provide at least a written notice to the tenant 30 days ahead of the date of increase. Landlords who have yearly lease agreements with their Long Beach tenants must provide at least an advance 30-day notice but must provide at least 60 days of advance notice if the tenant resided on the property for at least one year. Additionally, if the landlord is making more than a 10 percent increase in rental fees, then the landlord must provide 60 days of advance notice, regardless of the tenancy period.

The Rent Stabilization Ordinance requires Los Angeles County landlords that lease rent-controlled buildings to follow the rent control laws. Landlords are subject to the provisions of the Ordinance if the landlord rents more than two units within one building; if the landlord's property is within Los Angeles; and if the building was built prior to 1978. To increase rent, landlords that own rent-controlled buildings can only increase their rental amounts by limited amounts determined each year by the county's Rent Control Board. Landlords can, however, increase the rent only after giving a tenant at least an advance 30-day written notice of an upcoming increase or a 60-day notice following the same rules. The Ordinance does, however, offer tenants the right to refuse to comply with any rental increase that the Rent Control Board did not approve that exceeds the limits within the Ordinance's allowances. Tenants can also report these landlords to the Rent Control Board.

The rental increase may become effective only after the landlord provides the required notice. Landlords who provide adequate written notice, who complied with their lease obligations or who received written approval from the Rent Control Board to increase their rental fees have a right to expect timely payment of the new amount. By following the Superior Court's eviction procedures, landlords can seek a court's assistance in evicting tenants who fail to pay rent on time.

Since real estate laws can frequently change, you should not use this information as a substitute for legal advice. Seek advice through an attorney licensed to practice law in your jurisdiction.