How Much Can Your Landlord Raise Your Rent in NYC? (2026)

How much your landlord can increase your rent in NYC depends on your apartment type. First, determine whether you rent an unregulated (free-market) apartment or a regulated one, such as a rent-stabilized or rent-controlled apartment. In unregulated units, there’s no limit to rent hikes if proper notice is given. For rent-stabilized units, the New York City Rent Guidelines Board (NYCRGB) sets the annual allowable increase. In rent-controlled apartments, landlords can raise rents either:

• by the average of the five most recent NYCRGB increases for one-year leases, or
• by 7.5% annually until reaching the Maximum Base Rent (MBR) for your apartment.

In NYC, there is no cap on how much your landlord can increase rent for an “unregulated” apartment, as long as proper notice is given.

Out of approximately 2.2 million rental units, about 937,000 are unregulated “market rate” apartments, according to the NYC Rent Guidelines Board. This means rent increases are not regulated, and landlords can set any rent amount, including year-over-year increases and renewal offers.

However, landlords must follow strict notice periods for rent hikes of 5% or more and non-renewals. These notice periods, mandated by the NY Housing Stability & Tenant Protection Act of 2019, depend on the length of your lease or residence.

If a landlord plans not to renew your lease or wants to raise rent over 5%, they must give notice as follows:

• 30 days if you’ve lived there less than a year and your lease is under 12 months,
• 60 days if you’ve been there for one to two years or have a lease of that duration,
• 90 days if you’ve resided for over two years or have a lease of at least two years.

The New York City Rent Guidelines Board (NYCRGB) sets annual limits on rent increases for rent-stabilized units. For lease renewals from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022, permitted increases include a

• 0% raise for the first six months of a one-year lease starting within that period,
• followed by a 1.5% increase for the next six months,
• or a 2.5% increase for a two-year lease initiated during the same timeframe.

For renewals from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2023, the allowed increases are 3.25% for one-year leases and 5% for two-year leases.

For example, if your rent is $1,500 and your lease ends on 9/1/23, a one-year renewal could raise it to $1,548.75, while a two-year renewal could increase it to $1,575. Separate Rent Guidelines Boards oversee Nassau, Westchester, and Rockland counties.

In NYC, rent-controlled units permit landlords to increase rent by the lesser of the average of the last five annual increases or 7.5% annually until reaching the Maximum Base Rent (MBR), which is reviewed every two years.

Rent-controlled apartments are generally in buildings constructed before February 1, 1947, and occupied continuously by tenants since before July 1, 1971. According to the 2021 NYC Housing and Vacancy Survey, about 16,400 rent-controlled apartments remain in NYC.

Generally, rent increases in NYC are negotiable. You can try to negotiate a lower renewal rate with your landlord, but keep in mind they are not obliged to accept your offer, especially if you live in a free-market apartment and suggest a below-market rent. Additionally, in such cases, the landlord has no obligation to renew your lease.

Most landlords prefer to renew with existing tenants to reduce vacancy and avoid the costs of cleaning, repainting, and minor repairs. Similarly, tenants often prefer renewal to save on moving costs, broker fees, and hassle. If you have been respectful and low-maintenance, your landlord might agree to a renewal rate slightly below fair market value. For example, if your rent is $5,000 and the market rate is $6,000, the landlord might accept around $5,800/month.

While this means the landlord foregoes $2,400 in potential rent, it’s a small price compared to the costs of cleaning, repairs, and vacancy risk. For you, as the tenant, renewing at $5,800/month offers several advantages.

Your landlord can legally increase your rent by more than 5% if you live in an unregulated apartment. There are no laws limiting rent increases or annual hikes for free-market apartments.

However, landlords in unregulated NYC apartments must give proper notice when raising rent by more than 5% or when choosing not to renew a lease. The required notice is 30 days for leases shorter than 12 months, 60 days for leases of 1 to 2 years, and 90 days for leases of at least 2 years.

If your landlord does not give sufficient notice, you have the right to stay at your current rent until the notice period ends.

The simplest way to reduce rent hikes in NYC is to maintain a good relationship with your landlord, especially if they are an individual rather than a large corporation. When your landlord perceives you as a good person and develops an emotional bond, they are less likely to push for the maximum rent increase during lease renewal negotiations.

Below are some tips for building a strong relationship with your NYC landlord:

Avoid rudeness and passive aggression.

The most counterproductive thing you can do as a tenant is to be rude or passive-aggressive. Landlords see tenants who send harsh emails over minor issues as particularly problematic. This behavior can ruin your chances of renewing your lease.

Additionally, being passive-aggressive, especially when combined with slow responses to reasonable requests such as access for a plumber, can anger your landlord. Such actions may lead to no renewal offer or aggressive negotiations to recover costs.

Since evictions are costly and complicated in New York, a landlord will likely avoid tenants they view as confrontational or litigious.

Don’t make it difficult for the landlord to access the apartment

Your landlord is unlikely to view you favorably if you hinder repair workers and other third parties from entering the property. Unnecessarily complicating repairs wastes the landlord’s time, and in response, they may become less flexible on renewal terms to compensate for this perceived loss.

Pay your rent on time

If you habitually pay your rent late, your landlord will probably not offer any discount on future rates and might even choose not to renew the lease. From the landlord’s perspective, late payments are concerning, as they may signal a risk of no rent payment next month.

Sign a longer lease

Signing a longer lease can help reduce the frequency of rent increases. Landlords who accept multi-year agreements tend to be more flexible, as their preference for longer leases indicates they are risk-averse to potential vacancy periods and the costs associated with tenant turnover.