Can she increase my rent??? Please advise...

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by osuzana

Must have a signed agreement to be legal. A one year lease means your rent cannot be changed. If you chose to go month to month after your year lease is up, your landlord can increase your rent and only give you thirty days to vacate the premises.

My understanding their year is up so, yes, they can raise it for the next year..what am I not seeing here>?

Nita

[SandyCo]

To the OP, you're learning the hard way that people can say anything. They wanted to get you to move in there, so they promised you no rent increases for five years. I don't know the law about "oral contracts", but if your apartment building really is under rent control, you may want to either suck up the additional increase or move. Trying to fight this in court may get you nowhere, and you may spend lots of money and time without any results.

It has been my experience that landlords of rent-controlled buildings are one step up from slumlords. They want to get you to move, because then they can charge whatever the market rate is to the next tenant. Therefore, they purposely take their time with repairs, maintenance, etc. I lived in a rent-controlled building for twelve years, and it became a nightmare. I should have moved out five years before I actually did.

Under L.A. City rent control, the rent can only be raised once a year, and the increase is based off the CPI (Consumer Price Index) but it's always between 3% and 8%. Every year the L.A. Rent Stabilization Board sets the increase percentage allowed. From July, 2009 through June, 2010 this is 4%.

http://lahd.lacity.org/lahdinternet/Portals/0/Rent/03BULL-ALLOWABLE%20RENT%20INCREASE.pdf (broken link)

[CALGUY]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

To the OP, you're learning the hard way that people can say anything. They wanted to get you to move in there, so they promised you no rent increases for five years. I don't know the law about "oral contracts", but if your apartment building really is under rent control, you may want to either suck up the additional increase or move. Trying to fight this in court may get you nowhere, and you may spend lots of money and time without any results.

It has been my experience that landlords of rent-controlled buildings are one step up from slumlords. They want to get you to move, because then they can charge whatever the market rate is to the next tenant. Therefore, they purposely take their time with repairs, maintenance, etc. I lived in a rent-controlled building for twelve years, and it became a nightmare. I should have moved out five years before I actually did.

Under L.A. City rent control, the rent can only be raised once a year, and the increase is based off the CPI (Consumer Price Index) but it's always between 3% and 8%. Every year the L.A. Rent Stabilization Board sets the increase percentage allowed. From July, 2009 through June, 2010 this is 4%.

http://lahd.lacity.org/lahdinternet/Portals/0/Rent/03BULL-ALLOWABLE%20RENT%20INCREASE.pdf (broken link)

It is unfortunate that you live, or lived in a building where repairs were no being done in a timely manner.
One rotten slum lord does not put we responsible property owners in the same catagory.
You need to retract your statement.
Not all landlords are like yours.
I taker offense at being grouped with landlords like the one you experienced.
If you were so put out with the landlord, why on earth did you stay there 12 years?
Bob.

[SandyCo]

Why did I stay there for twelve years? The rent was relatively cheap. When I moved, I swallowed a $364/month increase. Believe me, it's worth every penny, though!

It has been my experience that most landlords who own rent controlled buildings are like my previous landlord. Are there exceptions? Sure, and if you're one of those exceptions, that's great! I bet you never have any vacancies!

When I was looking for another apartment, though, I seemed to run into the same kinds of landlords I already had. It took a long time and a lot of intensive searching to find my new place.

Originally Posted by CALGUY

It is unfortunate that you live, or lived in a building where repairs were no being done in a timely manner.
One rotten slum lord does not put we responsible property owners in the same catagory.
You need to retract your statement.
Not all landlords are like yours.
I taker offense at being grouped with landlords like the one you experienced.
If you were so put out with the landlord, why on earth did you stay there 12 years?
Bob.

[DowntownVentura]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

<snip>
It has been my experience that landlords of rent-controlled buildings are one step up from slumlords. They want to get you to move, because then they can charge whatever the market rate is to the next tenant. Therefore, they purposely take their time with repairs, maintenance, etc. <snip>

That is why I don't like rent control. You are exactly right, there is no motivation for landlords to fix anything. The neighborhoods end up going downhill. Nobody is happy.

[CALGUY]

Originally Posted by DowntownVentura

That is why I don't like rent control. You are exactly right, there is no motivation for landlords to fix anything. The neighborhoods end up going downhill. Nobody is happy.

I can't speak for other landlords, but my motivation is pride in ownership.
Why would I want, or worse, to keep a building in disrepair?
That makes absolutely no sense too me.
My properties, like everything I own are kept in imaculate condition.
I am always being asked if I have any vacancies, finished by, "your property always look so clean and beautiful".
My properties are always well maintained both inside and out.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Someone posted before this post that I must never have vacancies.
I do, but not very often.
The adverage tenancy in my rentals is roughly 8 years, though I have had a couple that have been over 12 years.
I attribute that to my commitment of maintaining a positive attitude toward my tenants and my property.
Many landlords, especially those owning many rental properties, look at it as a "me against them", them being the tenants.
They fail to grasp the fact that without tenants they would proably be collecting government benefits.
Tenants are the backbone of the rental business, and for the life of me I don't understand why landlords continually go to war with them.
Naturally, not all tenants are angels for sure, but taking the time to screen them before renting can save a lot of headaches in the future.
Maintaining one's property is the most important thing a landlord can do to attract good tenants
It all boils down to pride ,but too many times landlords place that all mighty dollar in front of everything else.
In the rental business one can make a substancial living with moderate invesatment, without being greedy.
That is the problem with slumlords, they are greedy.
Bob.

[DowntownVentura]

Originally Posted by CALGUY

I can't speak for other landlords, but my motivation is pride in ownership.
Why would I want, or worse, to keep a building in disrepair?
That makes absolutely no sense too me.
My properties, like everything I own are kept in imaculate condition.
I am always being asked if I have any vacancies, finished by, "your property always look so clean and beautiful".
My properties are always well maintained both inside and out.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Someone posted before this post that I must never have vacancies.
I do, but not very often.
The adverage tenancy in my rentals is roughly 8 years, though I have had a couple that have been over 12 years.
I attribute that to my commitment of maintaining a positive attitude toward my tenants and my property.
Many landlords, especially those owning many rental properties, look at it as a "me against them", them being the tenants.
They fail to grasp the fact that without tenants they would proably be collecting government benefits.
Tenants are the backbone of the rental business, and for the life of me I don't understand why landlords continually go to war with them.
Naturally, not all tenants are angels for sure, but taking the time to screen them before renting can save a lot of headaches in the future.
Maintaining one's property is the most important thing a landlord can do to attract good tenants
It all boils down to pride ,but too many times landlords place that all mighty dollar in front of everything else.
In the rental business one can make a substancial living with moderate invesatment, without being greedy.
That is the problem with slumlords, they are greedy.
Bob.

I totally agree with you. I prefer to keep higher end rentals. I would never buy in a rent control area. I am not going to make my unit high end while being crippled on free market pricing.

You can have the nicest building in town but if everything deteriorates around it, your value will decrease too. I want no part of government intervention as I have never seen it work well. Even long term, it doesn't work for tenants.

[CALGUY]

I have fourteen properties throughout the city, and only one is under rent control because there are six units on this one property.
The rest of the properties are single family homes.
In the rent controlled property, I have never, ever had a problem with the rents I charge, or the rules governing rental property under rent control.
Like the rest of my properties, these six houses are also single detached homes.
The only thing I see different with the rent controlled properties is, the city housing department inspects the property every two or three years.
For me, that is not a hassle.
The surrounding properties too my property are mostly single family homes.
We have three moderately sized multi living buildings of which two are condos, and one is an apartment building.
The properties in the area are well maintained, which is why it is a desirable location to live in.
Rent control has done nothing to destroy our neighborhood.
Bob.