1. Find out if you’re covered by the guideline

Most rental housing is covered by the guideline rule but there are some exceptions.

You are not covered by the Guideline if you are renting a subsidized unit, which is sometimes called Rent Geared to Income (RGI) housing. RGI housing has other rules about how much rent you have to pay and how much notice you get if your rent is going up. Your rent is usually based on your family size and household income.

There are also exceptions for some newer units. You are not covered by the guideline if your rental unit is:

• in a building, mobile home park, or land lease community that was first occupied for residential purposes after November 15, 2018,
• in an addition to a building, mobile home park, or land lease community, and the addition was first occupied for residential purposes after November 15, 2018, or
• a self-contained unit created after November 15, 2018 in a house that contained no more than two residential units at any time up to November 15, 2018 and meets certain other conditions.

You are not covered by any of the rent rules if you must share a kitchen or bathroom with the landlord or their close family members. Your landlord can raise your rent as much as they want and whenever they want, unless your rental agreement says they can't.

If your landlord has given you a Notice of Rent Increase, check to see if it is on a Form N1 or Form N2. A Form N2 means your landlord believes you are not covered by the guideline. The form does not require the landlord to say why they think you are not covered, so you should ask them if you are not sure of the reason.

If you are not sure if you are covered or if your landlord has used the right form, check with a lawyer or legal clinic.

If you are not covered by the guideline you will have to pay the new rent unless you can get your landlord to agree to a lower amount.