Comments | strangerdj: Rent increase

strangerdj

Rent increase - legal?

Jul 03, 2006 12:42

I rented an apartment under a 9 month agreement, and at the end of it, my landlord is trying to increase my rent by 10%.
Is it legal?

I remember in SF there was some limit how much they can raise the rent, and it was lower then 10%.

Update: I live in Sunnyvale

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paulinka July 3 2006, 21:27:12 UTC

Sunnyvale has no rent control laws :( Your landlord can pretty much do anything he wants...

paulinka July 3 2006, 21:59:43 UTC

No, he can not. I don't know how people in CA manage to come to such conclusions ("no rent control - he can do anything he wants"). He is still perfectly well governed by UCC (he DID sign a contract with you, did he not?) as well as a boatload of other regulations (e.g. he has to do certain things to the property to be able to rent it ( ... )

strangerdj July 3 2006, 22:06:20 UTC

changing banks is ALOT simpler then moving to a different appartment :)

paulinka July 3 2006, 22:14:41 UTC

Depends on a person, but in general, I guess you're right. Yet another reason to a) sign longer leases b) pay premium for the ability to stay in the place and c) buy your own.

Yeah, while landlords realize part b, it does not really make them want to increase the rent above market value. They have no reason to know whether you'd flip and go elsewhere, in which case he'd incur the losses associated with re-renting (plus still wouldn't get above market value for it). If anything, he'd rather keep you there at a little bit below market value. On top of that, in this age of internet and ease of finding information, I would imagine a landlord who is screwing their tennants will find that many better tennants are not even coming his way anymore.

Vadim.

strangerdj July 3 2006, 22:19:56 UTC

Long story, but let's just say that we don't have a good relationship.
He doesn't like motorcycles / parties, and I’m just the opposite :)

paulinka July 3 2006, 22:28:14 UTC

Err, how many motorcycles are invited to an average party there? I wonder whether he's not alone in not exactly liking you (maybe the rest of the block is joining in ( ... )

strangerdj July 3 2006, 22:40:53 UTC

He just given me tons of crap when I just got my new bike. He went on and on how it is not permited by the owner (even thou it wasn't in a contract) and how I would have to get rid of it, if there are noise complains, etc. etc. It seemed he just doesn't like bikes, but we got over it, and I haven't heard anything for some time now
As far as noise - I don't throw big parties, but I defenately enjoy having company. Most of the time it's not a problem, and sometimes he makes comments about it.

Moving - at a present time I just don't want to :)
When I was looking for a new place, this appartment was the best I seen within my price range. I want to hold on to it for a little longer. Plus the Duke is so close ;)

paulinka July 3 2006, 22:51:37 UTC

Ah, so it's not all too bad. So just give him 10%.

As for the bike, you could always just leave it in front of finik's place: it seemed perfectly happy there :-)

Vadim.

xuliganka July 4 2006, 04:12:34 UTC

ха ха:) так вы совсем рядом тусуете... а я тут сижу учусь гружусь:(

strangerdj July 4 2006, 04:26:01 UTC

YIM: CTPAHHuK

xuliganka July 4 2006, 04:37:35 UTC

кажись совсем остала что такое YIM..(?)
(все еше на icq и skype)

strangerdj July 4 2006, 05:52:54 UTC

Yahoo messanger.
А так всегда есть Дюк, Штопор, и тд

xuliganka July 4 2006, 23:35:32 UTC

ну а там и до BM рукой подать

paulinka July 3 2006, 22:22:16 UTC

What I meant is that he can raise prices as much as he wants and if the renter is unhappy, he can move.
If city has rent control ordinance, land lord has to petition the city to raise rents by more than a certain amount and show that he needs this money for repairs or to comply with whatever new housing construction regulations...
If an average rent increase in Sunnyvale was 9.25, it doesn't mean that he can't go above that - hence, average (and I am not talking about supply/demand side of it)

strangerdj July 3 2006, 22:42:06 UTC

So it seems that their request for additional 10% is justifed and I have to pay or move out.
Resonable.

paulinka July 3 2006, 23:09:21 UTC

what I was trying to say, he doesn't have to justify why he is raising prices w/o rent control and by how much :(
It's hard to find a new place and moving is such a drag... Do you think you can negotiate (i.e. sign another lease to make sure that he doesn't increase prices again and ask for a smaller increase since you are making a commitment)?

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