| Rent Increase Facts | Answer |
| Reason Needed? | No |
| Maximum Amount | None |
| Required Notice | No Statute (“Reasonable Notice”) |
Does Alabama Have Rent Control Laws?
Alabama does not have rent control laws limiting the amount that landlords may ask for in rent. State law prohibits local governments from establishing rent control laws. Landlords in Alabama have the right to raise the rent, by any amount, with proper notice.
When Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Alabama?
Landlords in Alabama can raise the rent at any time, as long as they comply with the following:
- Give reasonable notice
- Don’t break any rent control laws
- Wait until the end of the lease term (unless otherwise specified in the lease)
- Aren’t raising rent for discriminatory or retaliatory reasons
30 days before the end of a year-long lease, a landlord sends the tenant a notice that rent will increase by 5% if they choose to renew the lease.
When Can’t a Landlord Raise Rent in Alabama?
Landlords in Alabama may not raise the rent if:
- 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
- It is done as retaliation against a protected tenant action, such as filing a complaint
How Often Can Rent Be Increased in Alabama?
Alabama landlords can increase rent as often as they wish, as long as reasonable notice is provided each time and it’s at the end of the lease term.
Legally, landlords with month-to-month tenants can raise the rent at the end of each month, since the lease term of a month-to-month tenancy is only one month.
How Much Notice is Needed to Raise Rent in Alabama?
Alabama law does not require a specific notice period before raising rent. However, landlords are required to act in good faith, meaning they must give the tenant reasonable notice when increasing rent. 30 days of advance notice is reasonable in most circumstances.
How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Alabama?
Alabama landlords can 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 Ala. Code § 11-80-8.1(b)
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A local governmental unit shall not enact, maintain, or enforce an ordinance, resolution, or rule that would have the effect of controlling the amount of rent charged for leasing private property. This section does not impair the right of any local governmental unit to manage and control property in which the local governmental unit has a property interest.
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- 2 Ala. Code § 35-9A-501(a)
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Except as provided in this section, a landlord may not retaliate by discriminatorily increasing rent or decreasing services or by bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession because:
(1) 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;
(2) the tenant has complained to the landlord of a violation under Section 35-9A-204; or
(3) the tenant has organized or become a member of a tenant’s union or similar organization.
Source Link - 3 Ala. Code § 35-9A-142
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Every agreement and duty under this chapter and every act which must be performed as a condition precedent to the exercise of a right or remedy under this chapter imposes an obligation of good faith in its performance or enforcement.
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