LARSO
LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance
3%
City of LA. Covers most multi-unit buildings built before October 1, 1978. As of 2026, the annual cap is 3 percent. Requires registration with LAHD and just-cause to end a tenancy.
Rent stabilization in California
We represent tenants whose landlord raised the rent in a way the law doesn’t allow.
General information. Not legal advice. This page provides general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Caps and rules change every year. Past results do not guarantee or predict the outcome of any future matter.
The three laws
A cap. With rules.
Rent stabilization means there’s a legal limit on how much a landlord can raise the rent each year, and a separate set of rules about when they can end the tenancy. In Los Angeles, three different laws can apply, and a single tenant might be covered by more than one of them.
JCO
LA County Just Cause Ordinance
~8%
Unincorporated parts of LA County. Mirrors LARSO on the just-cause side. The rent cap follows state law (AB 1482), about 8 percent for the LA area in 2026.
AB 1482
California Tenant Protection Act
~8%
Statewide. Caps annual increases at 5 percent plus inflation, with a 10 percent ceiling. Applies to most rentals not already covered by a stricter local ordinance.
The law isn’t always obvious from outside the building. Even older buildings can be exempt. Even newer buildings can be covered. The only way to know for sure is to check.
The most common patterns
What a rent-stabilization violation looks like.
Five patterns we see again and again. Most cases that come through the door fit at least one. Many fit more than one.
Rent went up more than the law allows.
A number that exceeds the legal cap for the year, in a way that isn’t explained by a permitted pass-through.
Landlord skipped notice rules.
The law requires written notice in a specific form, on a specific timeline. A notice that doesn’t meet those rules usually isn’t valid.
No-fault eviction without relocation.
Some no-fault grounds require relocation money. The amount changes by jurisdiction and is often higher than landlords initially offer.
Skipped registration or bad-faith exemption.
In LA, RSO-covered units must be registered. Some landlords skip this and then act as if the unit isn’t covered.
Push-out instead of legal eviction.
Buyout pressure. Illegal lockouts. Repairs that mysteriously stop. Often crosses into tenant-harassment territory.
By city
Different cities. Different laws.
Each jurisdiction has its own rent cap, its own just-cause rules, and its own relocation amounts. Pick yours.
What working with us looks like
What happens when you call.
You reach out.
You call or send a message. We get back to you as soon as possible. Often the same day.
We check coverage.
The first conversation is free. We look up your address, your lease, and your notice (if you have one) against LARSO / JCO / AB 1482 to see which law applies.
We give it to you straight.
If the math works out and there’s a case, we say so. If your building is exempt or the increase is technically legal, we say that too.
We work on contingency.
If we take your case, you don’t pay out of pocket. We walk you through the written agreement line by line before you sign anything.
“Rent-stabilization cases are math problems with legal consequences. The math is technical, the consequences are about whether a family stays in their home. We get the math right so the family does.”
Common questions
Questions tenants ask us.
The most reliable way in the City of LA is to look up your address on the LA Housing Department’s RSO database. Buildings constructed before October 1, 1978 are usually covered, but there are exceptions, and a few newer buildings are covered too. If you’re not in the City of LA, the rules depend on your specific city, and AB 1482 may still apply. We can check this for you on the first call.
Most rent-stabilization wins start with a question the tenant wasn’t sure they had the right to ask.
You don’t have to know your building’s status before you call.
Calls are free. Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Hablamos español.
Or send us a noteContinued reading
Tenant Harassment
Our other practice area. The conduct rules that overlap with rent-stabilization push-out cases.
My rent went up too much
The Know Your Rights guide. Step-by-step math on whether your increase exceeds the cap.
I got a 60-day notice
What a no-fault notice has to include, and what relocation you may be owed.