Rent Increase Notice

Landlords and property managers should send a Notice of Rent Increase to officially communicate upcoming increases to a tenant’s rent.

Table of Contents

• What Is a Rent Increase Notice?
• Why Do You Need a Rent Increase Notice?
• When Do You Use a Rent Increase Notice?
• What to Include in a Rent Increase Notice

What Is a Rent Increase Notice?

A rent increase notice is a written notice to your tenants informing them that their rent will increase, indicating when the increase will occur and stating the amount of the increase. 

Why Do You Need a Rent Increase Notice?

You need to issue a rent increase notice before increasing the rent for a rental property.

Any agreements or contracts concerning a rental property must be in writing, and issuing written notices informing tenants of any change to the rent is a best practice followed by successful landlords. 

More specific reasons why you need to give a rent increase notice may include the following:

• The lease agreement requires any changes to the rent to be in writing.
• The rent increase is part of a lease renewal.
• You want to ensure your tenant has ample, unambiguous notice of the change in their rent to prevent any mistakes with their rent payments.
• You want to create a clear written record that you can later use to rectify any disputes between you and the tenant involving the rent amount or the lease.

When Do You Use a Rent Increase Notice?

You should create a rent increase notice template before you increase the rent. Send the notice to your tenant at least a few weeks before any rent increase goes into effect. 

Landlords increase rent for many reasons, including the following:

• The original lease permits the landlord to increase the rent from time to time, at certain intervals, or when certain events occur.
• The original lease expired, the tenant has remained on the premises as a holdover, and the original lease states that you can charge holdovers higher rent amounts.
• You want the original lease to renew at a higher rental rate, or you wish to notify tenants that any lease renewal will be at a higher rent amount.

What to Include in a Rent Increase Notice

Choose a high-quality rent increase notice form, which should include essential information identifying the original lease and detailed information about the rent increase. 

At a minimum, a rent increase notice should consist of the following information:

• The date of the rent increase notice
• The landlord’s and tenant’s names
• A specific description of the leased premises, including the address
• Reference to the original lease, usually by date, and any amendments to the original lease
• Information about the increased rent, including the new amount and when it will be due
• A short explanation for the rent increase
• A statement confirming that the other terms of the original lease or its latest renewal will remain in effect, if applicable

Depending on the reason for your rent increase, you may also wish to include a signature line for the landlord. In some cases, you may also choose to include a signature line for the tenant.