Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

Mutple rents being charged for same apartments.

I have a month to month rental agreement on a small single apartment. I pay $650.00 per month, and have been doing so since I first moved in a year ago. I have just found out that I am the only one being charged this much. Other singles in the apartment complex go for $550.00 per month. The one bedrooms are priced at $650.00 per month. After finding this out I asked the on-site manager if he could either lower my rent to the $550.00, or let me move into a vacant one bedroom and pay the same amount. He said no to both. Is it legal to charge different rents on the same apartment, excluding such factors as section 8 and rent control?


Asked on 1/13/04, 9:38 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Martin Snitow

Re: Mutple rents being charged for same apartments.

Yes. It is legal unless the landlord is discriminating on the basis of a protected category, such as race, religion, national origin, disability, familial status (children under 18) or age (only in California).

If you don't like it, look for another apartment elsewhere, and when you find something you like at a lower rent tell your current manager and offer to let him match it or you will leave. This is called competition, and it works faster and better than litigation ever could.

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Answered on 1/14/04, 1:30 pm


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