Rent can’t be increased more than once a year

Dear PAO,

I am a fourth year college student and have been renting the same room since December 2015.
However, the owner of the house told me last month that he will increase my rent from P3,500 to
P15,000. My lessor already increased my rental rate two times this year. I am so bothered because I am
only a student and I cannot afford to pay the new rate imposed by my lessor. I do not want to pass this
financial burden to my parents since I have seven other siblings in our hometown. I tried to talk to my
lessor and ask him to give me a reasonable rental escalation rate since I am just a student and I have
been leasing his property since 2015. I have not received any response from him until this time. I have
no time to look for a new room since I am a graduating student this year and I am busy with my thesis.
Was the increase imposed by the owner of the house legal and in accordance with our laws? Were the
previous increases in my rental fee this year likewise legal?

Sincerely yours,

Avegail

Dear Avegail,

To address your concern, we shall refer to the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council
(HUDCC) Resolution No. 1 Extending the Rent Control Act (Republic Act 9653) until December 2020. This
resolution provides for the regulation of rent to cover all private residential units with monthly rent up
to P10,000 subject to certain conditions. Pertinent to your concern, this resolution states that:

“b. The rent of any residential unit shall not be increased by: (i) more than two percent (2%) annually for
those paying a monthly rent ranging from P1.0 to P4,999 per month; (ii) more than seven percent (7%)
for those paying a monthly rent of P5,000 up to P8,999 for as long as the unit is occupied by the same
lessee; and (3) more than eleven percent (11%) for those paying a monthly rent of P9,000 to P10,000 for
as long as the unit is occupied by the same lessee; and c. Provided, that when the residential unit
becomes vacant, the lessor may set the initial rent for the next lessee: Provided, further, that in the case
of boarding houses, dormitories, rooms and bed spaces offered for rent to students, no increase in rent
more than once per year shall be allowed.” (Emphasis Supplied)
It is thus clear in the above-stated HUDCC Resolution that a lessor cannot increase the rental fee by
more than 2 percent of the current rental fee for a lessee paying P1.00 up to P4,999. It is likewise
provided that no further increase on the same year is allowed for units offered for rent to students.
Consequently, your lessor cannot implement another increase in your rental fee this year. He cannot
also increase your rental fee from P3,500 to P12,000. Given the flagrant violations the owner/lessor
committed against you, his actions could not be considered legal and in accordance with the Rent
Control Act.