Why is getting the rent control status of your unit correct so important?
Navigating the world of rental property management comes with a maze of legal responsibilities—and one of the most critical factors to understand is whether your property is subject to rent control. For landlords, this isn’t just a legal technicality. Rent control can significantly impact how much you can charge for rent, when and how you can increase it, and even your ability to evict tenants. Failing to understand your property’s rent control status can lead to costly legal missteps, compliance issues, and potential tenant disputes.
Why Rent Control Status Matters in Automated Legal Workflows
Joiner’s real estate management platform streamlines critical landlord functions—automating everything from rent increase notices and notices of entry to cure-or-quit and pay-or-quit notices. Each of these documents is generated with built-in legal disclosures tailored to your property’s specific requirements. One key factor that shapes these legal templates? Rent control status. Whether or not a unit is subject to rent control directly impacts what language and requirements must be included in the notices you serve. That’s why accurately identifying rent control status isn’t just important—it’s essential for compliance and avoiding legal risk.
Disclaimer & Legal Guidance
This post is designed to help you assess whether your rental unit falls under rent control by summarizing key aspects of applicable laws. However, it is not a substitute for legal advice. Because rent control regulations vary widely by city and sometimes county —and because a unit not covered by a local ordinance may still fall under California’s statewide rent control and just cause eviction laws (see this post) —it’s important to consult the relevant local statutes or seek advice from a qualified attorney to make a definitive determination.Joiner partners with BrightWork Law PC, a firm known for delivering efficient, cost-effective legal counsel tailored to the needs of property owners and managers across California. If you are not sure about the status of your unit we recommend that you contact BrightWork or any other law firm.
Units Covered by Rent Control in Glendale, California
The City of Glendale, California has passed a type of Just Cause for eviction ordinance that, among other things, includes a required payment of relocation expenses in certain circumstances when a tenant terminates a tenancy after a rent increase that exceeds 7% – though if there are banked rent increases available this can be up to 15%.
The ordinance is applicable to all dwelling units except:
- Rooms or accommodations in hotels.
- Boarding houses or lodging houses which are rented to transient guests for a period of less than 30 consecutive days.
- Housing accommodations in a hospital, convent, monastery, church, religious facility, extended care facility, asylum, nonprofit home for the aged.
- Dormitories owned and operated by an institution of higher education, or a high school or elementary school.
- Rental units located on a parcel containing two or fewer dwelling units.
- Rental units within a common interest development, except when the rental unit’s landlord owns 50% or more of the units in the common interest development.
- Rental units owned or operated by any government agency.
- Rental units that require intake, case management or counseling as part of the occupation, and an occupancy agreement;
- Rental units subject to a covenant or agreement, such as a density bonus housing agreement, inclusionary housing agreement or an affordable housing agreement, with a government agency, including the city, the housing authority, the state of California, or the federal government, restricting the rental rate that may be charged for that unit.
Additionally, parts of the ordinance, particularly those related to the payment of the relocation fee may not apply to units that received a certificate of occupancy after February 1, 1995.