16/09/2023
DOES MY LANDLORD HAVE THE RIGHT TO INCREASE MY RENT EVERY YEAR?
Your Landlord can only increase your rent only when he or she has done one or two improvements on the building that is visible to everyone living there.
The law is that your landlord or his agent has no powers to increase your rent without your knowledge and acceptance.
Where your landlord wishes to increase your rent, he should invite you to discuss and agree on a suitable rent taking into consideration, the prevailing rental rate for such apartment at the time in question or any other particular circumstance applicable to the apartment.
Where your landlord has increased your rent without your consent, it is advisable for you proceed to write him through a lawyer first, explaining the position of the law, any other reason which makes the rent increase unreasonable and suggesting a suitable rent.
Should the landlord refuse to change his mind about the rent, the law permits you to proceed to court and apply in the required form for an order of declaration to the effect that the rent increase by your landlord is unlawful, arbitrary and unreasonable.
But if you have signed an agreement form that says the Landlord can increase the rent as he or she likes....Then..you have used your hands to tie yourself up as a tenant.
And the Court may not be able to help you at this junction, always take your time to read word for word of everything written in the agreement form before you pay.
Ignorance of the Law is not an excuse
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