Pass-Through Charges
Rental Property Rules
Rules limiting landlord ability to pass utility, capital improvement, or seismic-retrofit costs through to rent-controlled tenants, and the petition process.
How Pass-Through Charges Rules Differ by Place
New York, NY: NYC Bars Passing Legal Fees to Tenants
Heavy RestrictionsNew York City bans landlords from billing residential tenants for legal fees, notary charges, or building-management admin costs unless a court order allows it.
Tucson, AZ: Lease Defines Tucson Pass-Through Charges
Few RestrictionsTucson does not regulate pass-through utility, RUBS, or service charges in residential leases. Charges must be disclosed under ARS 33-1314.01 but are otherwise governed by the lease…
Cincinnati, OH: Cincinnati Pass-Through Fees and Utility Charges
Few RestrictionsCincinnati landlords may pass through utility, trash, and certain service charges to tenants when authorized by the lease, but charges must be disclosed and may not be used as a…
Milwaukee, WI: No Local Cap on Rent Pass-Through Charges
Few RestrictionsMilwaukee cannot regulate how landlords pass through utilities, taxes, or capital improvements to tenants. Wisconsin Stat. §66.1014 bans rent control, and Act 76 (2018) preempts local…
Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Rent Cap for Non-Controlled Units
Some RestrictionsState law, not a Berkeley ordinance, sets the pass-through limit for rentals outside Berkeley's own rent control: Civil Code § 1947.12 caps any 12-month rent increase at 5% plus the…
Los Angeles, CA: Capital Improvement and Surcharge Pass-Throughs Tightly Capped
Some RestrictionsRSO landlords in Los Angeles may pass through certain capital improvement, capital expenditure, and registration costs to tenants only with LAHD approval. Capital improvements are…
Cities & Counties with Pass-Through Charges Rules
9 locations
Arizona
California
New Jersey
New York
Wisconsin
Other Rental Property Rules Topics
Rent Control
Local limits on how much landlords can raise rent each year, including which properties are covered and exemptions for newer buildings.
Just Cause Eviction
Protections requiring landlords to have a valid reason to evict tenants, such as nonpayment of rent, lease violations, or owner move-in.
Rental Registration
Requirements for landlords to register rental properties with the city, including inspection programs, fees, and occupancy standards.
Relocation Assistance
Required tenant relocation payments for no-fault evictions and Ellis Act withdrawals, typical amounts, qualifying triggers, and how cities enforce payment.
Security Deposit Rules
Caps on how much landlords may collect as security deposits, return deadlines, itemized-deduction requirements, and tenant remedies for wrongfully withheld deposits.
Cash-for-Keys Agreements
Rules around buyout agreements where landlords pay tenants to vacate, including required disclosures, cooling-off periods, and city filing requirements.
No-Fault Evictions
Allowable no-fault eviction grounds (owner move-in, Ellis Act, substantial remodel) and the relocation/notice obligations that come with each.
Tenant Anti-Harassment
Cities like LA prohibit specific landlord conduct (lockouts, utility shutoffs, threats), penalties, private right of action, and how to document violations.
Source-of-Income Discrimination
Rules barring landlords from refusing to rent to applicants because of Section 8 vouchers, SSI, or other lawful income, protected categories and remedies.
Section 8 Voucher Acceptance
Landlord obligations when accepting Housing Choice Vouchers, including HACLA inspection, lease addenda, and rent reasonableness.
Right of Return
Tenant right to re-occupy a unit after no-fault eviction (substantial remodel, owner move-in failure) at original rent, qualifying triggers and notice rules.
AB-1482 Notice Disclosure
California statewide rent-cap and just-cause notices required on month-to-month leases, separate from local RSO disclosures, and how cities enforce them.
Eviction Moratorium History
Status of pandemic-era eviction protections, what sunset, what carries forward as permanent rules, and tenant defenses still available for COVID-rent-debt.
Council District Preference
Local preference policies giving residents of a Council District priority for affordable housing units developed in their district, eligibility and waitlist mechanics.
Just Cause Appeal Process
How tenants and landlords appeal Just Cause eviction determinations, administrative hearing procedures, evidence rules, and judicial review.
Mold Disclosure
Landlord obligations to disclose known mold conditions before lease signing, plus tenant remedies when mold is discovered or made worse during a tenancy.
Rent Increase Notice
How much advance written notice a landlord must give before raising the rent on a month-to-month or expiring lease, and how state notice rules differ from any local rent-control caps.
Landlord Entry & Notice
How much advance notice a landlord must give before entering an occupied unit, the permitted reasons (repairs, showings, inspections), allowed hours, and the emergency exceptions under…
Repairs & Habitability
The implied warranty of habitability, how long a landlord has to fix essential services (heat, water, plumbing, mold), and tenant remedies such as repair-and-deduct, rent withholding…
Late Fees & Grace Periods
Whether late rent fees are capped, any required grace period before a fee can be charged, and limits on bounced-check (NSF) and other add-on charges under state law.
Lease Termination & Notice to Vacate
Notice required to end a month-to-month tenancy, the rules and penalties for breaking a fixed-term lease early, and early-termination protections for active-duty military…
Eviction Notice & Process
The notice a landlord must give before filing to evict, pay-or-quit and cure-or-quit periods, no-cause termination notice, how long the court eviction process takes in this state, and…
Squatter's Rights & Adverse Possession
When an occupant without a lease gains legal protections, the line between a trespasser and a squatter, how many years of continuous possession adverse possession requires in this…