Rent Increase Calculator
Work out a new rent from a percentage or a flat dollar amount, see what it adds over a year, and check it against a local cap before you send the notice.
New monthly rent
$0
Monthly increase
$0
Extra per year
$0
Increase
0%
Moving a tenant in or out mid-month at the new rate? Use the prorated rent calculator.
The Formula
New rent = current rent × (1 + increase ÷ 100)
Going the other way: increase % = (new rent − old rent) ÷ old rent × 100
A 4% increase on $1,500 is $60 a month — $1,560 going forward, and $720 more over a year. The annual figure is the one worth leading with, in your own planning and in the conversation with the tenant.
How Much Can You Legally Raise Rent?
In most of the US there is no ceiling on the amount — the rules govern when and how:
- Not mid-lease. A fixed-term lease locks the rent for its term unless the lease itself provides otherwise.
- Written notice, in advance. Thirty days is the common minimum; many states require 60, and some require 90 for larger increases.
- Never retaliatory or discriminatory. An increase timed right after a repair request or a complaint invites a retaliation claim.
Some places do cap the amount. California, Oregon, and Washington have statewide limits, and cities including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington DC operate their own rent stabilization programs. These caps are commonly recalculated each year against local inflation, so look up the current number rather than reusing one from a previous year — and use the cap field above to check your increase against it.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rent regulation is state and local, it changes, and exemptions (building age, owner occupancy, single-family homes) are common. Verify your situation before serving notice.
The Turnover Math That Should Set Your Number
The legal ceiling is rarely the binding constraint — turnover is. Compare what an increase earns against what losing the tenant costs:
| A $75/month increase earns | +$900 / year |
| One month vacant at $1,500 | −$1,500 |
| Turnover clean, paint, minor repairs | −$800 to −$2,000 |
| Listing, showings, screening time | −$200+ |
| Net if the tenant leaves | Worse for 2–4 years |
This is why experienced landlords raise rent modestly and predictably rather than sharply and occasionally. A tenant who expects a small annual increase is far less likely to leave over one than a tenant hit with a large correction after three flat years.
Sending the Increase Well
- Give more notice than required. It reads as respect and gives the tenant time to plan.
- State the new amount, the effective date, and nothing else that could be read as a threat.
- Mention what you have invested in the property if it is true — increases land better attached to something visible.
- Deliver it in writing with proof of delivery, and pair it with a lease renewal letter when it coincides with a renewal.
Related Calculators
prorated rent calculator · NOI calculator · cap rate calculator · rent vs. sell calculator
Never Miss a Renewal Window Again
Kelpic tracks every lease end date and notice deadline, so rent increases happen on purpose at renewal — not months late because the date slipped past.
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