Rent Control

[sniffemall]

Currently renting month to month basis here at Tracy , CA.
Manager asked me a favor to transfer to another unit cause her father wants my unit due to the fireplace. She mentioned that the rental rate for my apartment would increase so i better move to the other unit. Is that legal to increase my rent and not the other tenants w/c has the same features as my unit who are on a month to month basis rental too?

 

[LL]

Yes, it is legal and often done. There is nothing wrong with it.

Tenants who make themselves more valuable than other tenants are often encouraged to stay by getting more favorable rent terms. That's good business. Other tenants may get discouragement, or sometimes it takes more rent to make up for their treatment of the apartment, or the nuisance in dealing with them.

 

[sniffemall]

My current rental is 800.00 dollars. Do you know what is the maximum limit in case there would be a raise in rent and how often they could do it in a month to month basis term?

 

[LL]

Any rent control in California is by local municipal ordinance. I would guess that a small place like Tracy doesn't have any.

That would mean that there is no limit on rent except those imposed by market forces.

Right now, California and many other places are undergoing a re-adjustment in rent prices. On the Westside of Los Angeles, just for example, after two years of double-digit increases, research reports are predicting a 12% increase in rents this year, and the trend is expected to continue for at least a decade.

Becoming your landlord's favorite tenant may be a worthwhile goal.

 

[sniffemall]

Thank You very much LL. You reply is very informative.
By the way, you mentioned on your first reply that it's good business on the manager's proposal. Could you please elaborate more on this.

Thanks in advance!

 

[LL]

It's good busines to encourage good tenants and to discourage bad ones. How else do you build a building full of very good tenants? This pays off in lower maintenance and damage costs, tenants staying longer, lower legal costs, lower overhead costs, and less overall hassel to the landlord.

 

[sniffemall]

Thanks for the reply LL. Is there a way for me to know besides asking the tenants if the other tenants on units w/c has the same feature as mine had an increase on their rental fee? Do you think by asking me to transfer to other unit is a discouragement?

 

[LL]

Is there a way for me to know besides asking the tenants if the other tenants on units w/c has the same feature as mine had an increase on their rental fee?
No, of course not. Did you think that information is published on the Internet? What's the problem with asking them?

Do you think by asking me to transfer to other unit is a discouragement? Maybe. Have you been a good tenant? In thinking about this, you should remember that these are times of rapidly rising rents, and consider if there is some way that the landlord is able to get more money with you there, or with you gone. If there is any rent control in Tracy, think of vacancy decontrol.