| Rent Increase Facts | Answer |
| Reason Needed? | No |
| Maximum Amount | None |
| Required Notice | No Statute |
Does Kentucky Have Rent Control?
Kentucky does not have rent control laws limiting the amount landlords may ask for. State law prohibits local governments from establishing rent control laws.
When Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Kentucky?
Landlords in Kentucky can raise the rent at any time, as long as they comply with the following:
- Aren’t raising rent for discriminatory or retaliatory reasons
- Give reasonable notice
- Wait until the end of the lease term (unless otherwise specified in the lease)
30 days before the end of a year-long lease, a landlord sends the tenant a notice that rent will increase by 2% if they choose to renew the lease.
When Can’t a Landlord Raise Rent in Kentucky?
Landlords in Kentucky may not raise the rent if:
- It is done in retaliation against a protected tenant action, such as filing a complaint
- It is during the middle of a lease’s fixed term (unless stated otherwise in the lease agreement).
- The increase is applied in a way that discriminates against one of the protected classes specified in the Fair Housing Act
How Often Can Rent Be Increased in Kentucky?
Landlords in Kentucky can increase the rent as often as they wish, as long as reasonable notice is provided each time.
How Much Notice is Needed to Raise Rent in Kentucky?
Kentucky law does not require a specific notice period before raising rent. The law does require that landlords act in good faith, meaning they must give the tenant reasonable notice when increasing rent. In typical rental situations, one month of advance notice often will be reasonable.
How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Kentucky?
Kentucky landlords may raise the rent by any amount that they wish. There is no legal limit or cap on the amount of a rent increase.
Sources
- 1 Ky. Rev. Stat. § 65.875
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Notwithstanding the provisions of KRS 67.712, 67.083, 82.082, and 83.420, to insure uniformity and statewide application, only the General Assembly shall enact legislation which would control rents on private property. This section is not intended to impair the right of any city, county, or urban-county to manage and control any property in which it has an interest through a housing authority or similar agency which provides housing assistance, nor is this section intended to include those programs operated by any city, county, or urban-county pursuant to federal grant programs.
Source Link - 2 Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.705(1)
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Except as provided in this section, a landlord may not retaliate by increasing rent or decreasing services or by bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession after:(a) The tenant has complained to a governmental agency charged with responsibility for enforcement of a building or housing code of a violation applicable to the premises materially affecting health and safety;(b) The tenant has complained to the landlord of a violation under KRS 383.595;(c) The tenant has organized or become a member of a tenant’s union or similar organization.
Source Link - 3 Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.550
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Every duty under KRS 383.505 to 383.715 and every act which must be performed as a condition precedent to the exercise of a right or remedy under KRS 383.505 to 383.715 imposes an obligation of good faith in its performance or enforcement.
Source Link
