West hollywood

For rental units built before July 1, 1979.

More info on West Hollywood Rent Control Ordinances:
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How rent control &
tenant rules affect you

Whether you are renting out your property to a tenant or are a renter, you can find resources on what the rent increase process is like, pass-throughs and surcharges, security and move-in transactions, legal assistance, and vacancy and eviction issues.

Resources

Enforcement Agency:

Rent Stabilization & Housing Division

RSD@weho.org
(323) 848-6450

Section 8 Assistance:

Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA)

Public_Liason@lacda.org
(626) 262-4510

County
Resources:

LA County Consumer Business Affairs

rent@dcba.lacounty.gov
(833) 223-7368

Rent Control

Any Rent Cap?	Yes, if the CPI is calculated at more than 4%, the rent increase will be capped at 3%.
Current Maximum Rent Increase?	17.36.020 Currently: 3%
Rent Increase Process	Will be announced by the rent stabilization commission each year on or before July. Based on 75% of the CPI of the area. If the CPI decreases, no increase or decrease in rent will be authorized. If CPI is calculated above 4%, the rent increase will be capped at 3%.
Rent Adjustments	Landlords can apply for a rent increase if their net operating income has not kept up with 60% of the CPI increase since 1983. When applying, they can factor in both past and planned capital expenditures that reduce their income. If approved, the Maximum Allowable Rent (MAR) can be increased, but mortgage or debt payments cannot be included in the request.

Pass-Through Fees

Pass-through and Surcharge definition	A pass-through is when the landlord passes on specific operating costs to the tenant as part of their rent. A Landlord may file an application with the Department, on a form approved by the Department, to pass-through costs to Tenant in a Fully Covered Rental Unit. A surcharge is a general term for any additional charge added on top of the base price, which could include passthrough costs but also other fees.
Registration Fee Pass-through	Landlords may pass half of the registration fee to tenants, divided into 12 equal monthly portions.
Capital Improvements Pass through	The RSO does not contain a section discussing a pass-through for Capital Improvements.
Utility Cost Pass through	A landlord that provides and/or gas may increase the rent by 1.5% for each utility. Which is a 3% limit. No landlord may impose a separate fee or charge for any utility service which is billed directly to the landlord by the utility provider. No landlord may impose a separate fee or charge for any utility service which is billed directly to the landlord by the utility provider. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of ratio utility billing systems (RUBS) or landlord installed meters that do not establish a separate, tenant account with the utility provider.
Expenditure Mandate Pass-through	The RSO does not contain a section discussing pass-through for expenditure mandates.
Additional Tenant Pass-through	A landlord shall not charge any rent above the maximum allowable rent if a new tenant is added to the unit.
Water service Penalty Pass-through	The RSO does not contain a section discussing a pass-through for water service penalties.
Refuse Fee Pass-through	The RSO does not contain a section discussing a pass-through for refuse fees.
Government Mandates Pass-through	The RSO does not contain a section discussing a pass-through for Government Mandates.
Rehabilitation Work Pass-through	The RSO does not contain a section discussing pass-through for Rehabilitation Work.
Primary Renovation Pass-through	The RSO does not contain a section discussing a pass-through for primary renovation fees.
Relocation Assistance Pass-through	The RSO does not contain a section discussing a pass-through for Relocation Assistance.
Application Fee Pass-through	A landlord may charge for an application fee that will cover the screening fee.
Replacement Key or security Card Fee Pass-through	A replacement fee can be charged for key or security cards. The fee cannot exceed the actual replacement cost without the prior approval of the Commission.
Systematic Code Enforcement Fee	The RSO does not contain a section discussing a pass-through for Systematic Code Enforcement Fees.
Smoke detector fee	The RSO does not contain a section discussing a pass-through for smoke detectors.
Bounced check Fee Pass-through	No landlord shall charge a tenant a fee for a bounced check which exceeds the fee charged by the bank for the return of the check.
Late Fee	Fees for late payment of rent cannot exceed 1% of the monthly rent due, which is 5 or more days overdue.
Seismic Retrofit	In October 2018, the West Hollywood City Council unanimously voted against allowing landlords to pass any portion of mandatory seismic retrofit costs onto tenants.
Additional Pass-through details	There are no other additional Pass-through details mentioned in the RSO.

Registration

Registration	Landlords must register their units before July 1.
Security Deposits at transaction	Security deposits are capped at one month’s rent. However, small landlords, defined as those owning fewer than two residential properties with no more than four total units, may collect up to two months’ rent as a security deposit. Landlords must provide itemized documentation for any administrative fees charged, which must align with the county’s regulatory framework.
Tenant move-In at transaction?	No, A landlord may only collect security deposits allowed under state law. Landlords can no longer collect an extra security deposit for pets. Landlords must pay tenants annual interest on retained deposits, as determined by the Rent Stabilization Commission. Payments are due by January 31st for the previous year, either as rent credits or direct payments. When tenants move out, any accrued interest must be paid to them. Once set, the security deposit amount cannot be increased for the duration of the tenancy.
Shared Legal Assistance for all Tenants?	While there are no universally shared tenant legal assistance programs across all jurisdictions, many cities and the county participate in collaborative efforts like Stay Housed LA, which offers legal services for tenants facing eviction or housing disputes.
Does the City pay for legal assistance for tenants?	No, it does not, the city funds tenant counseling and offers referrals to nonprofit legal aid groups specializing in housing issues. Tenants may also access resources through the Rent Stabilization and Housing Division.
Relocation Assistance	Relocation assistance is mandatory for no-fault evictions, with amounts determined by unit size and tenant status (e.g., senior or disabled tenants).

Eviction

Vacancy Decontrol?	Yes, allows landlords to set a new, market-rate rent for a unit once it becomes vacant, after which the unit falls under rent stabilization regulations for any subsequent rent increases.
Costa Hawkins	Passed in 1995, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act was created to limit how far California cities can extend rent control policies by doing the following: Single-family homes and condominiums are exempt from rent control policies. Any property built after February 1, 1995 is exempt of rent control policies. Landlords can set the initial rent for new tenants, a policy known as vacancy decontrol.
Just Cause eviction	No Fault Eviction: A landlord is evicting a tenant for a reason that is not the tenant's fault. At Fault Eviction: Occurs when the landlord is evicting a tenant due to a specific action or inaction by the tenant.
Failure To Pay Rent	Nonpayment of rent.
Violations Of Obligations	The tenant has failed to meet his obligations even after receiving a written notice.
Maintenance Of Nuisances	The tenant is causing a nuisance or damage to the rental property
Illegal Uses	The tenant is using or permitting the rental unit to be used for an illegal purpose.
Refusal To Execute Leases	The tenant in the dwelling unit is refusing to renew their lease while still not vacating the unit.
Refusal To Provide Access for Making Repairs	The tenant refuses to give the landlord access to the unit to perform repairs.
Unapproved Subtenants	The person in possession of the unit is a subtenant not approved by the landlord.
Use By Landlords	The landlord or their close relatives plan to live in the unit. The occupant must move in within 30 days of the tenant vacating and live in the property for at least one year.
Change Of Building Managers	The Ordinance does not have any provision involving a change in building managers.
Demolition	A tenant in a unit planned for demolition for affordable housing can stay up to two years, with a possible one-year extension, and must be informed of the plan or get relocation fees.
Condominium/Hotel Conversions	The Ordinance does not have any provision covering condominium conversion.
Affordable Housing	The Ordinance does not have any provision covering affordable housing conversion.
(Ellis Act)	Under state law, landlords may withdraw units from the rental market: Tenants must receive at least 120 days’ notice before withdrawal. Tenants who are 62 years or older or disabled are entitled to a 1-year notice period, if they have lived in the unit for at least one year and properly notify the landlord of their status. If the property is returned to the rental market within 5 years, the landlord must offer the unit back to the displaced tenant(s) at the same rent-controlled rate they previously paid. If the property is returned to the market within 10 years, the landlord must still offer the unit back to the former tenant(s) (right of first refusal), but may charge market rent if it’s been more than 5 years since withdrawal.
Withdrawal from The Rental Market	The landlord in good faith, in accordance with the Ellis act, plans to remove the unit from the market. Must file with the rent stabilization division. Relocation fees required.
Disruptive Tenant	The Ordinance does not have any provision covering landlord refusal.
Income Limits	The tenant’s income has exceeded the maximum limit for inclusionary housing.
Employee termination	If an employee of the landlord was living in the unit as part of their contract and the employment has been terminated. The resident manager who lives in the building fails to perform their duties.
Renovation Work	The landlord must perform necessary renovations to meet city standards.
Refused by landlord	The Ordinance does not have any provision covering landlord refusal.
Government order	The ordinance does not cover the following topic, please follow the county instructions.
Additional Tenant	If the original tenant leaves, an additional person living in the unit won't be protected from eviction unless they lived there with the tenant for at least a year and the tenant has died or become incapacitated.
Temporary Absence	The landlord has left the unit for a specified amount of time and has leased it to a tenant temporarily. The agreement must be in writing, and the landlord must notify the tenant at least 60 days in advance of their return. If the landlord cannot return on time for business reasons, they can extend the absence with a 30-day written notice.
Foreclosure	The landlord has taken the unit under foreclosure.
Medical	A landlord who needs a larger unit or specific amenities for medical reasons.
Approved Relocation Application	The ordinance does not cover the following topic, please follow the county instructions.
Additional Eviction Information	There are no additional eviction information in the Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
Shared Unlawful Detainer	An unlawful detainer is a lawsuit filed by a landlord to evict a tenant from a residential or commercial property in Los Angeles, California. Unlawful detainers are handled by the superior court in Los Angeles County. The legal process for an Unlawful Detainer is the same in all jurisdictions: The landlord must give a written 3, 30, 60, or 90-day notice for a just cause eviction. If the tenant does not take action, the landlord may file a lawsuit against the tenant. Tenants have 10 days, excluding Saturday, Sunday, and all judicial holidays, after receiving a UD to file a written answer to the court. If a tenant does not respond to a UD, a default judgement will be entered against the tenant. Once entered, a sheriff will post a 5-day eviction notice on their door. If the tenant still has not left the property,