Richmond Landlord-Tenant Rules

Rent control: Under the Richmond Rent Ordinance, fully covered units (multi-unit properties on one parcel built before February 1, 1995) may get one Annual General Adjustment set by the Rent Board. The 2026 adjustment is 1.5%, for increases taking effect September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027, for tenants who moved in before September 1, 2025 (the 2025 adjustment was 1.62%). Landlords may also use banked, previously untaken increases, up to a maximum of 6.5%. Before raising rent, the landlord must have enrolled the property, registered the tenancy, paid the Residential Rental Housing Fee and hold an active Rental Business License, and must use a valid notice served with the Rent Program brochure; an invalid notice makes the increase void.; Just-cause eviction: Most Richmond tenants can be evicted only for one of 8 just causes: failure to pay rent, breach of lease, nuisance, failure to give access, temporary termination for substantial repairs, owner move-in, withdrawal from the rental market, or a declared temporary tenancy of a single-family home or condo (up to 12 months, filed before the tenancy starts). For breach of lease, nuisance or failure to give access, the landlord must first give a written warning and a reasonable time to fix the problem. The landlord must file the termination notice and proof of service with the Rent Program within 2 business days of serving the tenant; failing to file may be used as a defense to an eviction lawsuit.; Relocation assistance: Landlords must pay permanent relocation for owner move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal, and government orders to vacate or health and safety conditions. 2025 amounts for owner move-in: studio $4,355.81, 1-bedroom $6,725.81, 2+ bedrooms $9,159.42; for Ellis Act or government order: studio $8,775.23, 1-bedroom $13,451.61, 2+ bedrooms $18,255.22. Qualified households (seniors, disabled tenants, households with a child under 18, lower-income households, and terminally ill tenants in owner move-in cases) get higher amounts, up to $21,009.41. Tenants displaced temporarily by substantial repairs or a vacate order get weekly per diem payments (2025: hotel $185.86 per household per day, meals $37.42 per person per day, plus laundry and pet allowances) or comparable housing in Richmond.; Rental registration & fees: Every landlord must complete a Property Enrollment Form for each property with at least one rental unit and pay the Residential Rental Housing Fee, which funds the Rent Program. Landlords of fully covered (rent-controlled) units must also register each tenancy.