Rent increases vary from year to year and are established by the city. To get this year's %, you must call the Landlord-Tenant office and they will tell you.

It's not a flat %, it varies with the market.

Additionally, if your landlord did any substantial work, they must submit the paperwork to back that up to the Landlord-Tenant office and have an approval for a higher %. Generally even that % is relatively low, though if indeed work was done this year I could see it going up to 5%.

Incidentally I live in a rent controlled building myself and this year the increase was 0%. Unless the year is not Jan-Dec (in other words maybe I fell into one fiscal year and you into another) yours should be 0% as well barring the above improvement scenario.

IIRC rent stabilized? I have no idea what that is, but I know that rent stabilized is not the same as rent controlled thanks anyway.

iirc rent stabilized, not controlled. this wasn't last year, but the year before.

corybraiterman ok. Are you in a rent controlled building? From what I have been told and understand, usually in a rent controled building in JC they are only allowed to raise your rent 3%.

Last time mine was raised, it was 4 percent

The rent increase was neither explained nor justified. I know of no improvements that were made to my building or to my apartment. Doesn't mean they weren't made, I just don't know about them.

If the landlord is going to increase the rent more than 3% in a rent controlled building for improvements reasons do I have to be told that either verbally or in writing?

I just received a letter about the rent increase today, so no I haven't called the landlord tenant relations number yet. Thank you for that information and the link.

Did you try the Landlord-Tenant Relations office yet? They deal with rent control issues. Link is here:

http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/hedc.aspx?id=1182

Quote:

Was the increase perhaps explained or justified as a hardship rental increase? Those are not capped by a hard number, but it's up to the Rent Leveling Board to approve.

If recent capital improvements were made to the building and the units were made, landlords can try and recoup owe costs via increases but that is capped to a figure per 1K and must be approved by the Board.

In a rent controlled building (9 apartments, older building, owner does not live on premises) what percentage can the rent be raised? It's 3% correct? I received a letter saying my rent would go up, and the increase is 5%. How do I fight this if they are only legally able to raise it 3%? And the letter I received notifying me of the rent increase included the following weird sentence, " please note, as a long-term tenant, we will still consider your lease to be month to month per section 15 of the revised agreement." If they raise the rent don't I get a new lease? What is section 15 of the revised agreement? Do they mean the original lease that I have with my landlord?

Thanks for any help or advice.