How do you use this template?
Fill in the fields at the top of the sheet. Both letters update as you type: the dollar and percentage change are worked out for you, dates are written out in full, and the sheet counts the days between the letter date and the effective date so you can compare it with the notice your law requires. Letter 1 is a plain rent increase notice for any tenancy. Letter 2 is a renewal offer for a fixed-term lease that is ending, with two term options, an optional incentive and a reply date.
"Download Word" saves the whole sheet as a .docx you can edit further. Each letter has its own copy button for pasting into an email. Print gives you just the two letters, each on its own page, with signature lines; the form itself does not print. Nothing is sent anywhere and nothing is saved, so print or download before you close the tab. With JavaScript off, the letters print with bracketed blanks for handwriting.
The sheet works out the percentage for you and pairs the increase with a renewal offer, which is the letter many landlords need at lease end.
How much notice do you need to give before raising rent?
It depends on where the property is and on the kind of tenancy. A fixed-term lease usually cannot have its rent raised mid-term unless the lease itself allows it; the increase takes effect at renewal. A month-to-month tenancy can usually be changed with written notice, and the minimum notice is set by state law and sometimes by city ordinance. Some states tie the length of notice to the size of the increase; California is a clear example. The table shows a few examples checked against their sources, not a complete list:
| Place | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California, month-to-month notice | At least 30 days' written notice when the increase, added to any others in the prior 12 months, is 10% or less; at least 90 days when it is more than 10%. Notice served by mail is subject to the mailing rules in Code of Civil Procedure 1013 | Civil Code 827 |
| California, statewide cap (AB 1482) | For covered units, no more than 5% plus the change in the cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower, over any 12 months, measured from the lowest rent in that period, in no more than two increments. Many units are exempt; check the statute. The section is in effect until January 1, 2030 | Civil Code 1947.12 |
| Oregon, notice and statewide cap | Other than week-to-week tenancies: no increase in the first year, no more than one increase in 12 months, and at least 90 days' written notice stating the amount of the increase, the new rent and the effective date. The cap is the lesser of 10% or 7% plus CPI; the state published 9.5% for 2026 and 10% for 2027. Units whose first certificate of occupancy is under 15 years old are exempt from the cap | ORS 90.323 and 90.324, Oregon Office of Economic Analysis |
| New York City, rent-stabilized units | Increases on lease renewals are limited to the percentages the Rent Guidelines Board adopts each year | NYC Rent Guidelines Board |
| Other states and cities | Not covered here. Check your state statute and your city; some have their own caps, rent control or notice rules on top of state law | Your state and city |
This table is general information, not legal advice, and it is not complete. Rules change, exemptions are common and local ordinances can be stricter than state law. Before you send a letter, confirm the notice period and any cap for your address with your state's statute, your city, or a local attorney.
What should a rent increase letter include?
- The date of the letter and how you delivered it. Keep proof of delivery.
- The tenant's name and the full rental address, including the unit.
- The current rent and the new rent, both as exact monthly amounts.
- The change in dollars and as a percentage. Tenants work it out anyway; showing it is more honest, and it lets you check it against any cap.
- The date the new rent takes effect, far enough after delivery to meet the notice your law requires. Mailing can add time: in California, mailed notice is subject to the mailing rules in Code of Civil Procedure 1013.
- A statement that other terms stay the same, or a clear list of what else changes.
- Who to contact, by phone and email.
- Any wording your state or city requires. Some places require specific statements in a rent increase notice. The template cannot know them; add them yourself.
How do you explain a rent increase without losing a good tenant?
Keep it short, factual and polite. One or two sentences on the reason is enough: higher property taxes, insurance, utilities or a recent improvement. Do not apologize at length or argue the case. Avoid surprises: a friendly heads-up call or message before the written notice lands often heads off a move-out. And compare the increase with the cost of a vacancy. Empty weeks, cleaning, repainting and listing can cost more than the extra rent a larger increase would bring in, so run that comparison for your own unit before you set the number.
Timing matters too. Send the notice well before the legal minimum where you can, so the tenant has time to plan and you have time to find out whether they are staying. Treat every tenant in a similar unit the same way, and keep a record of why each increase was set, because increases that look targeted can raise fair housing or retaliation concerns.
What makes a lease renewal offer work?
Give the tenant a real choice and a deadline. Two options, such as a 12-month lease at one rent and month-to-month at a slightly higher one, let the tenant decide what matters to them and tell you early who is likely to leave. A small incentive for renewing on time, such as carpet cleaning, a minor upgrade or a fixed rent for a longer term, may cost less than even a short vacancy. Send the offer early, never later than the notice your state or city requires for a rent change (90 days in Oregon, for example), and follow up personally if the reply date passes. Check your lease and local law for what happens when a fixed term ends with no reply; in many places the tenancy continues month to month.
When the tenant says they are moving, start the move-out process early with the move-in and move-out checklist, and use the maintenance request form to log anything they report before they go.
What happens after you send the letter?
Expect calls. Tenants will ask whether the increase is negotiable, whether it is legal, and what happens if they cannot pay it. Decide your answers before the letters go out, write them down, and give everyone the same ones. If you find you are missing those calls after hours, an answering line can take them from your written rules. Property Answering answers 24/7, in the caller's language, and emails you a summary with action items minutes after each call, from $69 a month; see what answering services cost and the FAQ.
Sources
- California Civil Code section 827 (notice for month-to-month rent increases)
- California Civil Code section 1947.12 (AB 1482 rent cap)
- Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 90 (ORS 90.323 notice and limits, 90.324 cap formula)
- Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, rent stabilization (annual maximum percentage)
- New York City Rent Guidelines Board (rent-stabilized lease guidelines)