is there a max amount of money that a landlord can go up in rent each year?

Answer 1

If your lease does not say, the SKY is the limit.

Answer 2

Yes and no. Depends where you live. Most places, there is no limit. But even if there is no limit, some places the landlord must give at least 30 days notice if you are going month to month, and in some places the landlord has to formally end the current lease in WRITING or by OTHER PROCEDURE--even if it is only an oral month to month agreement--before he can start a "new" oral month to month agreement.

ALSO (IN MOST STATES) THE LANDLORD MAY NOT INCREASE RENT AS A RETALIATION AGAINST YOU FOR COMPLAINING TO ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR FILING A CLAIM IN COURT OR JOINING A TENANTS RIGHTS GROUP OR TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST SOMEONE FOR ANY PROHIBITED REASON SUCH AS RACE, RELIGION, HANDICAP, AND CERTAIN OTHER REASONS.

SOMETIMES an UNREASONSBLY LARGE increase in the rent is a round-about way of kicking someone out and amounts to what is called a "CONSTRUCTIVE EVICTION" that is, such an increase is construed or interpreted by the law as an eviction rather than just a reasonable increase to cover the landlord's increased costs.

EVICTION including CONSTRUCTIVE EVICTION by increasing the rent can be legal, but if it is done to discriminate against someone for race, religion, handicap, etc, it is ILLEGAL EVERYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES and all places where the U.S. Constitution applies (Guam, Peurto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.).

For example: Your rent is $1,000 per month, and your one-year lease expired and now you just go month to month. The landlord wishes you Merry Christmas and you say, thanks very much, but by the way, I'm Muslim. Next month you get a notice that the rent has now gone up to $1,500 a month. It seems that you would have a pretty good case that this is a retaliatory increase or a constructive eviction (because most people budget for their rent, and would have no choice but to move out if it went up by 50%).

If you live in New York or California or Washington D.C., you need to check your local county or city laws to see if there is "rent control" as it these limits on increases are commonly called.

Several cities in California have limits on increases. Washington D.C. is about to pass a limit of 10 percent. New York City, as is well known, has rent control to the point that when some old person dies, the first question the relatives ask is, "Who gets the apartment?"

If you live in the big Midwestern states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, there are very good landlord-tenant laws that protect tenants, but often there is no rent control. BUT check your local laws and city ordinances, as people who live where you live. College towns often have rent control, because landlords in college towns are notoriously abusive.

If you live in the South, you are probably out of luck. The laws in the South very strongly favor landlords. Tenants have very few rights. BUT check them out anyway!

Landlords often take advantage of young people who do not know their rights and/or just naturally respect older people (the landlord is usually older). Most landlords routinely break the laws that protect tenants, and then threaten eviction if the tenant complains. Most states have laws against such retaliatory evictions or rent increases, but sometimes they only apply if the tenant complains to the government, and don't apply if the tenant complains to the landlord himself and then the landlord evicts him or her.

LOOK around on the web. Talk to people where you live. PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS!!! Landlords, are by definition RICHER THAN YOU, they have lawyers, get yourself a lawyer if you need one.

Go to the local college or university to see if they have a landlord tenant rights group. If you don't make much money look for your states Legal Services Progtram that offers free legal help. Your city or town or county might have a tenants rights group that offers legal advice.

Don't be a victim! Stand on your rights!

Answer 3

Usually no more then $100.

Answer 4

no. after the lease is up he can raise it to any amount he want.