Rent Control
Rent Control By Bob Miles Many cities have passed ordinances restricting the amounts by which landlords can increase a tenant's rent. These local laws are generally held valid even in the face of contrary state law. Rent control normally covers only residential housing (and not office space, shopping mallls, etc.) Since it is usually designed to assist low-income tenants, it is rarely applied to luxury housing, and sometimes does not apply to single family homes. In some cases the tenant will have to prove that the premises are his primary residence, and may be prevented from subletting the premises at a higher rent (this is to prevent rich people from renting out many properties and then subletting them out at higher rates, thus putting the government in the business of subsidizing profits for rich people at the expense of landlords). In some cities, the landlord is entitled to raise the rent as soon as the premises become vacant - he can charge the next tenant higher rent, but ca...