Can landlord raise rent in the middle of a contract?
Advertisements
She raised my rent by $200. She said that the main lord has raised her rent therefore she has to raise mine to keep her contract.
I do not want to burn this bridge, but I also cannot afford it. I am thinking of moving out. I am in the middle of a job transfer with a possibly lower pay.
I really regret my decision.
What can she do if I refuse to pay the extra? She might make my life hard? Or refuse to return the deposit once I leave? (I’m aware for the 2nd, small claims court may help but it is a tideous process)
Advertisements
Netizens’ comments
- She cant do that. If your contract says $x for 1 year then it is $x for 1 year. She can only raise it after the contract ends.
- It depends on what your contract says. If it says the landlord can raise rent midway through the term of the lease, then she can. If it doesn’t, she should not be able to.
- The legality of the situation greatly depends on your answers to these questions.
- Are you subletting illegally?
- Sounds like you’re a subletter, do you have a contract with the main tenant?
- Is she raising the price because the main contract with the actual landlord has ended thus the increase in price?
- Not that I’m aware of, I don’t know what that means..
- I have a contract with the property agent (her- the one who is raising the rent for me)
- Yes correct.
- So what does this mean? Is it illegal?
- Your contract should not be with the property agent, it should be with the owner. The property agent is the one handling the owner’s business with you.
- If they are raising the rent because your contract has ended, that is legal. They are setting a new price for a new contract period, not overiding your old contract that has ended. It’s not surprising cause rent prices have gone up in the last couple years. Time to find a new place.
- My contract has not ended, it ends in december, I’ll just find a new place and avoid contracts with agents in the future…