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I want to get your opinion. I lived at my former place for 9 years without a rent increase. Then this past Sept. 3rd my landlords wanted to raise my rent 60% which is illegal as you can't increase it retroactively. They said they wanted to increase it to what the current market value is which is again illegal. I didn't know what I was going to do come Jan. 1st because I knew they wouldn't be happy if I didn't pay it. But then the rent increase freeze was extended so I didn't and they were very cold towards me. So to keep the peace I ended up paying it the last couple months I was there.
I want my money back and they're trying to make me feel guilty as they said they thought of me as family (so fake and BS) and I had reasonable rent all these years. But it is up to them to raise my rent? And while I was there the suite beside me was empty 2-3 times 6 months or more so they weren't desperate for money then but now all of a sudden when they want to build a new house and keep the current one they raise our rents (the other tenant was only there 2-3 years so probably didn't get as drastic of a rent increase as I did). Our rents weren't enough though as they ended up selling the house (I was going to leave anyway). I should also note the suite beside me was illegal. The past tenants reported it and they had to unhook the stove but put it back and rented it out again one year later.
I've emailed them asking for my money back along with the compensation of one month's rent they were suppose to give me for ending my tenancy but they're refusing to pay either. I've tried to tell them what they're doing is illegal but they don't care. They said to go ahead and file a dispute. Another thing is if they had given me increases I'd still be paying $166 less than what they wanted to increase my rent to so they're asking way too much.
They work 2 full time jobs, have 2 cars are building a big beautiful house and profited $221,000 from the sale of their house. I'm living below the poverty line as I'm on disability, have no cars etc. I feel like they're being entitled. They're fighting me for $1000.
I feel like they only follow the law when it's in their favour like evicting past tenants and ending our tenancies but ignore the law when it comes to rent increases/compensation.
What's your opinion? Should I stick to my guns on this or am I being unfair? The law is the law isn't it? And the bottom line is no matter how much they want to argue about it, we're in a rent increase freeze right now. Period. So why should I budge?
Well, when most people get hit with a rent increase of 60% they move.
It is perfectly legal in the US for a landlord to charge whatever rent they wish, unless you live in an (increasingly rare) rent controlled apartment in one of a very few cities. Obviously they can't change rent during a lease, but if you've been there for 9 years you're probably on month to month.
What makes you think that the rent increase is illegal?. Also it seems to me that you agreed to the increase since you paid it for a few months.
What state do you live in?
It says in my post why it's illegal. You cannot increase it more than a small percentage each year (depending on the year. The last 16 years it has been between 2.3-4.3%, but usually around 3%) and if you want to do it more than that you have to have written permission from the tenant and issue and a Notice of Rent Increase form which they did neither. You cannot go back and raise it retroactively. It's also illegal to raise the rent to market value because rents in the area have since gone up. (They admitted to me this is what they were doing). Another reason it's illegal is we're in a rent increase freeze right now because of the pandemic.
I agreed to nothing. I paid the increase for 2 months and did it to keep the peace. Paying it isn't an agreement to a rent increase. I'm allowed to either deduct it from the next months rent or apply for a monetary order to get it back.
I live in British Columbia, Canada.
Last edited by catmusicfreak69; 05-03-2021 at 01:18 PM..
Well, when most people get hit with a rent increase of 60% they move.
It is perfectly legal in the US for a landlord to charge whatever rent they wish, unless you live in an (increasingly rare) rent controlled apartment in one of a very few cities. Obviously they can't change rent during a lease, but if you've been there for 9 years you're probably on month to month.
Have you read your lease?
I was going to move out. But I was going to take my time looking because we're in a housing crisis here and there's not much available in my budget. But I was gong to pay what they wanted while I was there because I knew I'd get an attitude from them. Then when I started to look they changed their minds and sold the house cause they realized they couldn't afford to keep it.
I lived in a basement suite and was month to month.
Of course I read my lease. And it was one they drew up themselves and nothing about rent increases was ever mentioned and even if it was, they have to enforce it with a Notice to Increase Form.
I just don't think it's fair as it's illegal to raise the rent retroactively and because market values have gone up. And then to raise it nearly double of what it should be had they've given me increases all these years.
Please look at this in the eyes of the law here and not where you live.
So you think the tenants should move out when faced with an increase like that and it's fine for the landlord to do that? It's the landlord's responsibility to raise the rent each year. Not mine. It's proof they didn't care too much about it when they left the other suite vacant a few times for many months at a time. Then they want to increase it because they realize their fiances are tight because they want to build a new home and keep the current one? (Lumber has gone up 4X the rate since the pandemic started). Why is this my problem?
I'm in British Columbia Canada. Sound like we have better laws here than in the US.
"The B.C. government has banned rent increases for the rest of 2021. Attorney General David Eby introduced the changes on the first day of the spring session of the legislature Monday. The bill would extend a rent freeze on residential rates that began March 18, 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began."
And, this:
"The rent increase freeze has been extended for annual rent increases until December 31, 2021. Annual rent increase notices issued with an effective date after March 30, 2020 and before Jan. 1, 2022 are cancelled.
If a landlord does collect the increased amount during the period that rent increases are not allowed, the tenant can deduct the additional amount from future rent payments."
"The B.C. government has banned rent increases for the rest of 2021. Attorney General David Eby introduced the changes on the first day of the spring session of the legislature Monday. The bill would extend a rent freeze on residential rates that began March 18, 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began."
And, this:
"The rent increase freeze has been extended for annual rent increases until December 31, 2021. Annual rent increase notices issued with an effective date after March 30, 2020 and before Jan. 1, 2022 are cancelled.
If a landlord does collect the increased amount during the period that rent increases are not allowed, the tenant can deduct the additional amount from future rent payments."
Yes. Or because I moved I can apply for a monetary order to get my money back. You have 2 years to file a dispute.
So arguing about whether or not I should let them do what they're doing is mute when there's a rent increase freeze.
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