Landlords in the City of Los Angeles face some of the most complex and heavily regulated rent control and eviction laws in the country. The Law Office of Aaron Kohanim is here to help landlords navigate these regulations with precision, compliance, and strength. Whether you are preparing to serve a notice, respond to tenant claims, or defend your rights in court, our office ensures every step aligns with the strict requirements of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC). Below is a Los Angeles Rent Control Checklist.
Evictions in Los Angeles are not just about the California Code of Civil Procedure. Landlords must also comply with additional city-level requirements under the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (LARSO) and the Just Cause Ordinance (JCO). A single procedural misstep—such as failing to post required disclosures or accept rent improperly—WILL lead to dismissal of your case.
A VIOLATION OF ANY OF THE BELOW ITEMS IS A CAUSE FOR THE CASE TO BE DISMISSED
All Los Angeles Residential Properties
- Register the Property Annually – Must pay the registration fee and get the Rent Registration Certificate “renting license”. LAMC 151.05(A) and 165.10(B) – On ALL properties that collect rent in the City of Los Angeles
- Must MAIL and POST the Rent Registration Certificate (from Number 1 above) on the Property. Mail to the Tenant’s Unit and Post a copy in a conspicuous place, such as the lobby, the mailbox, or high traffic location. **Must be done each year**
- City of LA Renters Protection Notice – POST a copy of the Notice in a conspicuous place, such as the lobby, the mailbox, or high traffic location.
- Notice Eviction Submission – ALL Eviction Notice must be submitted with LAHD within 3 days of serving the Tenant. Los Angeles Municipal Code 151.09.C.9 & 165.05.B.5.
- Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance – Tenant Harassment shall be defined as a landlord’s knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific tenant or tenants that causes detriment and harm, and that serves no lawful purpose. LAMC 45.34. Harassing the Tenant is an affirmative defense
- Source of Income Payment – A landlord cannot reject any lawful source of income, rental assistance, subsidy, or financial aid from any person, including but not limited to a federal, state or local government, or non-profit or charitable agency. Example: Section 8. LAMC 45.65.
- LAMC 162.09 – A property that is currently in the Rent Escrow Account Program. (LA City Habitability Program). In any action by a property owner/landlord to recover possession of a residential unit, the tenant may raise the fact of payments into a REAP escrow account as an affirmative defense in the same manner as if the payments had been made to and accepted by the property owner/landlord.
- Notice of Right to Counsel – Must POST a copy of the Notice in a conspicuous place, such as the lobby, the mailbox, or high traffic location. Must ATTACH a copy to ANY eviction notice served to the Tenant. If a new tenant signs a lease, then the document must also be attached to the lease agreement. Must be in the primary language of the Tenant. LAMC 166.03
- Civil Code 1942.4 – A Landlord may not demand rent, collect rent, issues a notice of a rent increase or issue a three day notice to pay rent or quit if the unit is uninhabitable for more than 35 days and inspected by a public officer. That is, if the Health Department or LAHD issues a citation/notice of order to comply, then the citation MUST be cleared before proceeding with an unlawful detainer. Failure to do so is an affirmative defense and unlimited attorney fees for the Defendant. Upon clearance and a closing letter from the public officer, can the Landlord proceed with an eviction notice.
LARSO Properties Additional Requirements
- LARSO Notice Disclosure – POST a copy of the Notice in a conspicuous place, such as the lobby, the mailbox, or high traffic location.
- No Online Exclusive Payment – It shall be unlawful for any landlord or landlord’s agent to demand or require an electronic funds transfer or online internet payment as the exclusive method of payment of rent, security deposits, surcharges or other housing service fees. LAMC 151.04 (C).
- Mandatory SCEP Fee – Owners of all buildings subject to inspection shall pay a regulatory fee per unit per year. This fee shall be known as the “Systematic Code Enforcement Program Fee”. LAMC 903.3.2 – The tenant may assert as an affirmative defense to any unlawful detainer action that the landlord has failed to pay required fees pursuant to this article.
- Illegal Increase of Rent – Increasing the Rent in violation of the Rent Control Ordinance is an Affirmative Defense. See Lawful Rent Increase Chart.
- Interest on Security Deposit – A tenant living for more than 12 months is to be given the unpaid accrued interest on security deposit in the form of either a direct payment or a credit against rent. The landlord must choose between the two (2) methods of payment and must notify the tenant in writing of his/her choice. The landlord may choose to pay the accrued interest on a monthly or yearly basis.
* Contact our law firm for a form to be used for your Tenants.*
At the Law Office of Aaron Kohanim, we represent landlords and understand the unique challenges you face. As a member of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, California Apartment Association, and Apartment Association, Southern California Cities, Attorney Kohanim stays at the forefront of housing policy, legal trends, and legislative changes.
Contact the Law Office of Aaron Kohanim today to schedule a consultation. You can call us at (310) 861-7506. If you prefer to send a quick message, visit our Contact Us page.
The response above is not intended as legal advice. This response does not create an attorney-client relationship. Legal questions can only be fully answered through consultation with an attorney to whom you give full and accurate details. It is highly recommended that you seek advice from an attorney by setting up a confidential meeting. All who read this answer should not rely on the answer to govern their conduct.
**This checklist is active as of the date of this posting stated above. The City of Los Angeles engages in hyper-regulation thus regularly updating its laws. Please contact the office to confirm if this list is currently up to date.