What landlords actually do · August 2026
Should you raise rent every year?
Short answer from landlords who've tried both ways: yes — small and predictable beats big and rare. Skipping increases to keep a good tenant feels generous, but the landlords who did it describe the same ending: years of flat rent, then a large catch-up increase that the tenant experiences as a betrayal.
What happens when you skip increases
The pattern shows up over and over in landlord discussions. One landlord kept a tenant's rent flat for seven years, fell far behind market, and finally sent a catch-up increase. The tenants were insulted, gave notice within three months, and the relationship ended badly — after seven years of goodwill.
Another put the math plainly: once you're behind, the increase you eventually need feels enormous to the tenant, and you either eat the gap forever or lose the tenant you were protecting. A third saw a 25% mortgage jump and had no room to absorb it — small yearly increases would have spread that pain over years.
Why small annual increases keep tenants
Tenants budget around predictability. A 2–3% increase every renewal becomes a known part of the deal — no single year stings, and nobody is surprised. The landlords who raise modestly every year report keeping good tenants longer than the ones who alternate between generosity and correction.
Practical rules that recur in the discussions:
- Raise a small amount every year, even 1–2%, so the pattern exists.
- Stay a little under market for a tenant you want to keep — deliberately, not accidentally.
- Tie the increase to something documentable: property taxes, insurance, utilities. Several landlords attach the tax statement to the renewal letter.
- Send it with the renewal offer, 60–90 days before lease end, in writing.
How to send the increase
Give it a number, a date, and a reason, and deliver it as routine paperwork rather than a conversation. Run the numbers with the rent increase calculator (it shows the percentage and the annualized rate — useful context to include), then send the lease renewal letter with the new terms spelled out.
Check your local rules first: some states and cities cap increases or set minimum notice periods, and rent-stabilized units follow their own rules entirely.
When the answer is no
Skipping a year is a legitimate decision — after a rough tenancy event, in a soft market, or when the tenant is doing below-market work like yard care you'd otherwise pay for. The difference between a decision and a drift: decide at renewal time, on the calendar, with the market number in front of you. A free RentChime account reminds you before each renewal window opens so the decision happens on schedule.
About this research
Based on landlord discussions gathered July–August 2026, including a 100+ comment thread specifically on annual increases for long-term tenants. Quotes condensed, never invented.
Not legal advice. Rent increase rules vary widely — rent control, stabilization, and notice periods are jurisdiction-specific. Verify your local requirements before sending an increase.