Rent increase letter
Work out the new rent with the sums shown, check the lead time against our recommendation, and get the letter. Free, no account needed.
The rent
Rent is paid
Current rent (per year)
Work out the new rent from
Increase (per cent)
Dates
Date of letter
New rent starts (Usually renewal)
Current term ends (Optional)
Reply by (Optional)
Your new rent appears here
Add the current rent
The letter
Type of letter
Proposes the new rent for a renewed tenancy, subject to the tenant's agreement. Use this unless your agreement has a rent review clause.
From (Your name, or your company's)
Signing as
Your phone or email (Optional. Printed under your name)
Tenant
Premises
Your reference (Optional)
Your letter appears here
Add the current rent
None of the rent or letter details above are stored. The figures are worked out in your browser and the letter is rendered when you download it.
The guide
Raising the rent in Nigeria, properly
General information, not legal advice. Where a tenancy is in dispute, speak to a lawyer before you serve or sign anything.
When you can raise the rent
At renewal, not in the middle of a term. A tenancy is a contract for a fixed rent over a fixed period.
The exception is where the tenancy agreement itself provides for a review, which is what a rent escalation clause is for. Where there is no clause, the increase is a proposal: the tenant can accept it, negotiate, or decline and leave at the end of the term.
How much notice to give
There is no single statutory notice period for a rent increase the way there is for ending a tenancy. The letter has to reach the tenant early enough for them to decide before the current term runs out. Three months before renewal is a sensible working minimum for a yearly residential tenancy, and more is better.
A rent increase letter is not a notice to quit. If the tenant declines and you need possession, that is a separate process with its own notice periods.
What the letter contains
- The tenant's name and the address of the premises
- The current rent and the new rent, in figures
- The date the new rent takes effect, normally the renewal date
- The clause in the agreement authorising the review, if there is one
- A date by which you would like a response
Questions
Can a landlord increase rent in the middle of a tenancy?
Not unless the tenancy agreement provides for a review. Otherwise an increase takes effect at renewal, and without a clause it is a proposal the tenant can accept, negotiate or decline.
How much notice should I give before a rent increase?
There is no single statutory period. Three months before renewal is a sensible working minimum for a yearly residential tenancy, and more is better.
Is a rent increase letter the same as a notice to quit?
No. A rent increase letter proposes new terms for the next term. A notice to quit ends the tenancy and has its own notice period.