I put landlord in quotes because I've technically never seen my landlord, just a 3rd party set of individuals hired by the landlord.

I'll try to keep this short:

-my rent is $1800/month which is a steal where I live (LA Jolla).

-landlord wants to transfer me to a different apartment on the same premesis to renovate my apartment.

-However the new apartment I would move into is newly renovated and would increase my rent to $2,790/month. (1be/1ba ~700sqft, the same as my current unit).

-The other alternative is they give me a 60 day notice of eviction.

I feel like I can beat this on a couple of fronts:

1. My rent was already raised this year when I signed my lease renewal back in May of this year. In California, we have Rent Control Laws where they're not allowed to raise rent no more than 10% in a calendar year, and $1800>$2790 is definitely more than 10%.

2. They also can't just kick me out in 60 days because California law ALSO states that the landlord can't break a lease of their tenant unless the apartment is inhospitable (which means no running water no toilet/ extreme damage due to flood or fire) none of which applies to me.

If they're so dead set on renovating my apartment (which was ironically newly "renovated" when I moved in 5 years ago) I want to be able to move into a the new unit at my current rate.

Would that be too much to ask or am I going to have to lawyer up? And how would they counter my request?

Have you gone back and read your rental agreement? I'd start there.

they absolutely should put you in a new unit at your same rate, thats BS. however is lawyering up over an apartment you are renting worth it?

I'd tell them fuk you evict me then. go to the eviction hearing and tell the judge whats going on and maybe the judge will stop them from evicting you. no way I'd pay thousands of dollars for a lawyer over something I am renting.

California is incredibly biased toward renters vs landlords. Even if legally your landlord can do it whether or not they are actually able to is another matter.

Join Date: Oct 2002

still renting

oof!


contact your local residential tenacy branch but tbh sounds like youre SOL. havent you ever heard the term renovicted? start looking for a new place.

Fight them on this


How's living in La Jolla boyo?

I have no knowledge to share but am interested in following what happens so please keep us up to date on what you do and what transpires

Yep I scanned through it thoroughly. I've got a PDF version and I ctrl+f for anything related to "transfers" and the like or other circumstances for raising rent and there's nothing.

they wouldnt be raising the rent. you would be renting a new suite at a higher rent.

And that's the thing. It just doesn't seem worth it...BUT living in this area I'm super close to work (don't even have to get on the freeway) ive been able to save up quite a bit of money (for a house) and rent is dirt cheap for such a nice area. There are chitty areas that are charging more than what my current rate is.

I just don't feel like going through the rigamarole of going to court and lawyering up if I can help it I don't want to stay in this place forever (maybe another year at the absolute latest).

Do you know if this has happened to anyone else in your building? If it has talk to them and find out how it went down, or if they are plamning to fight it. You may not be alone which could be to your benefit.

Wouldn't hurt to aware other tenants in unrenovated units. They'd have vested interest in your dilemma.

Yeah, that's California prices. Even if you have the money for a down payment (like i do) you'll simply get out bid by a boomer who can pay for the entire house in cash (especially in this area)

I've heard of renoviction but it still doesn't dismiss the rise of over 10% in rent. I can pay then$2790/month but it's going to put a huge dent into what I can save per month.

bump

Pretty damn nice, not gonna lie. I got into this place because the complex had a reputation of having bad landlords and noone wanted to move in. So they were offering $1500/month rent in 2018. It's been completly fine and I've had not trouble with the landlords until now.

And that's why I don't want to sign anything yet.... It seems like a grey area to me as they're forcing me into a different unit at a higher rate which technically raises my rent more than 10% in a calendar year.May of 2024

Mirin

Gl

This

have you been a good tenant, no missed payments? I would contact landlord/management company and ask if they can offer you a discounted rate for being as such. You said you plan on moving out in a year anyway so I would inform them that and maybe they will offer discount. probably your only hope.

Poor used cooking oil down the drain

That's the loophole they used to get your out of there

Claim apartment needs renovation, kick current Tennant out , rent apartment to new tenant at a higher rate

Yep that's what I'm figuring. Like I said, the apartment im currently in was "newly renovated" when I moved in 5 years ago. So I guess they just do this to their tenants every 5 years as a means to hike the rent more than 10%I thought I was, but now I'm not so sure.

Even if you do lawyer up all the bs won't be worth it

Ironically, part of the renovation is tearing up the kitchen to put in an island. So it wouldn't matter.

If this is the case then you don't have to do anything until May next year. Don't know what the laws are in California though or if they have other means to get rid of you.

Yeah I know that's why I'm so torn about even going to those lengths.

I'm actually in contact with a Freelance Lawyer on Fiverr. He's only charging $150 to write up a 2 page statement with all the legalese about why they can't raise my rent so, we'll see what happens.

I checked through my lease (all 58 pages of it) and there's no clause that talks about this particular scenario (transferring apartments and being forced to pay a higher rent).

They should put you in the new unit at your current rate until end of lease term.

Or, you stay put until end of lease term.

I do not believe they have an obligation to renew your lease come next May provided proper notice has been given to you (those terms would be in your rental agreement)

This is a common landlord tactic. They don't want to "renovate", they want to get you out so they can get someone new in there paying much higher rent. You don't have to go until your lease is up, but it's clear they aren't going to renew your lease so be prepared to move either way.

This is probably the correct answer

Only 60 days eviction notice? California needs to change that to minimum 90 days.