Key points
- For 2026, residential units renting for ₱10,000 a month or less are covered by rent control (NHSB Resolution No. 2024-01).
- For the same tenant, rent cannot go up by more than 1% in 2026. If the unit becomes vacant, the landlord may set a new rent; student dorms and bedspaces can be increased only once a year.
- Landlords cannot demand more than 1 month advance and 2 months deposit. The deposit stays in a bank, and its interest goes back to the tenant (RA 9653, Sec. 7).
- Eviction needs a legal ground, such as 3 months of unpaid rent, unauthorized subleasing, the owner's own use with 3 months' notice, condemnation repairs, or an expired lease. A sale or mortgage is not a ground.
- Disputes usually start at the barangay. A deposit refund can go to small claims, and ejectment needs a court case. Not legal advice.
Renting a room, apartment or bedspace? The Rent Control Act of 2009 (Republic Act No. 9653) and the current rent control resolution of the National Human Settlements Board protect many tenants from big rent increases, excessive deposits and eviction without legal grounds. This guide explains who is covered in 2026, how much your rent can go up, what landlords can and cannot ask for, the legal grounds for eviction, and where to go when there is a dispute.
Last checked: October 28, 2026, against the text of RA 9653 and NHSB Resolution No. 2024-01 (Rent Control Covering the Period January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026). This is general information, not legal advice.
Quick answer
- Covered in 2026: residential units with a monthly rent of ₱10,000 and below.
- Rent increase cap for 2026: 1% for the year, as long as the unit is occupied by the same tenant (the cap was 2.3% for 2025).
- Advance and deposit: the landlord cannot demand more than 1 month advance and 2 months deposit. The deposit must be kept in a bank, and the interest goes back to you when the lease ends.
- Eviction is allowed only on the grounds listed in the law, and a landlord cannot evict you just because the property was sold or mortgaged.
- Violations can be punished with a fine of ₱25,000 to ₱50,000, imprisonment of 1 month and 1 day to 6 months, or both.
Who is covered in 2026
RA 9653 defines a “residential unit” broadly: an apartment, house, or land on which another’s dwelling stands, used for residential purposes, including boarding houses, dormitories, rooms and bedspaces. Motels and hotels are not included. Units also used for a home industry or small store are covered if the owner’s family actually lives there and uses it mainly as a home.
Under NHSB Resolution No. 2024-01, rent regulation continues for any residential unit with a monthly rent of ₱10,000 and below from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026.
| Situation | Rule for 2026 |
|---|---|
| Same tenant, rent ₱10,000/month or less | Increase of not more than 1% for 2026 |
| Unit becomes vacant | Landlord may set the initial rent for the next tenant |
| Boarding house, dorm, room or bedspace rented to students | No increase more than once a year |
| New residential units built after the resolution was approved | Not covered by rent regulation |
| Rent above ₱10,000/month | Not covered; follow your lease contract and the Civil Code |
| Written rent-to-own agreement | Exempt from the coverage section of RA 9653 (Sec. 11) |
Example: if you have rented the same unit for ₱6,000 a month, a 1% cap means the rent can go up by at most ₱60 for 2026, to ₱6,060.
After 2026: the current resolution covers only up to December 31, 2026. As of our last check, we did not find a published successor resolution for 2027. Before agreeing to a 2027 increase, check with DHSUD whether rent control was extended and at what cap.
Advance, deposit and paying rent
- Rent is paid in advance within the first 5 days of each month, unless your contract sets a later date (Sec. 7).
- The landlord cannot demand more than 1 month advance rent.
- The landlord cannot demand more than 2 months deposit. The deposit must be kept in a bank under the landlord’s account name for the whole lease, and all interest earned must be returned to you when the lease ends.
- The deposit (and its interest) can be forfeited only in an amount matching the actual damage: for example, unpaid rent, unpaid electric, water, phone or other utility bills, or damage you caused to the unit.
- Keep receipts for every payment, and ask for a written lease contract.
If the landlord refuses to accept your rent
Some landlords refuse payment to build a case for eviction. Under Sec. 9 of RA 9653, if the landlord refuses to accept the agreed rent, you may deposit it by way of consignation within one month after the refusal:
- in court; or
- with the city or municipal treasurer; or
- with the barangay chairman; or
- in a bank, in the landlord’s name and with notice to the landlord.
After that, keep depositing the rent within 10 days of every month. Failing to deposit for 3 months becomes a ground for ejectment, so be consistent and keep every receipt.
Subleasing and bedspacers
You may not sublease the unit, assign the lease, or accept boarders or bedspacers, in whole or in part, without the owner’s written consent (Sec. 8). Doing so is a ground for ejectment.
Legal grounds for eviction
Sec. 9 of RA 9653 lists the grounds for judicial ejectment:
- Subleasing or assigning the lease, or taking in boarders or bedspacers, without the owner’s written consent.
- Arrears in rent totaling 3 months (subject to the consignation rule above).
- Legitimate need of the owner to use the unit for themselves or an immediate family member (spouse, direct descendants or ascendants), but only if the lease for a definite period has expired, the tenant got a formal notice 3 months in advance, and the owner does not lease it out or let a third party use it for at least 1 year after repossession.
- Necessary repairs of a unit under an existing order of condemnation, to make it safe and habitable. The ejected tenant gets first preference to lease it again after the repair, at a rent reasonably matching the repair cost (unless the unit was condemned or totally demolished).
- Expiration of the lease contract.
Sale or mortgage is not a ground. Under Sec. 10, neither the landlord nor a new owner can eject you because the property was sold or mortgaged, whether or not the lease or mortgage is registered.
How eviction should happen
- The law speaks of judicial ejectment. If you do not leave voluntarily, the landlord has to file an ejectment case (unlawful detainer) in the Municipal or Metropolitan Trial Court. These cases follow the Supreme Court’s Rule on Summary Procedure.
- Under Rule 70 of the Rules of Court, a landlord generally has to make a demand to pay or comply and to vacate before filing an unlawful detainer case based on non-payment or breach of the lease.
- If you and the landlord are individuals living in the same city or municipality, the dispute usually goes through barangay conciliation first.
- Only a court decision, enforced by the court’s sheriff, can remove you from the unit if you refuse to leave. If someone threatens you or forcibly removes you or your belongings, document it and seek legal help or report it to the police.
Where to go if there is a problem
| Problem | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Dispute with your landlord (rent increase, deposit, repairs, notice to vacate) | Your barangay for conciliation (Katarungang Pambarangay), especially if you live in the same city or municipality |
| Landlord won’t return your deposit or its interest | After barangay conciliation, a small claims case in the first-level court (money claims under a contract of lease are covered) |
| Questions on rent control coverage or the current cap | The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), main or regional office |
| Violation of RA 9653 (for example, an increase over the cap) | Violations of the rental law are criminal offenses; a complaint can be filed with the Office of the City or Provincial Prosecutor. Get legal advice first. |
| You received a court summons for ejectment | Get legal help right away: PAO if you qualify, or IBP legal aid. Deadlines in ejectment cases are short. |
Questions people ask
My landlord increased the rent by 10%. Is that allowed?
If your rent is ₱10,000 a month or less and you are the same tenant, the 2026 increase should not exceed 1% under NHSB Resolution 2024-01. If your rent is above ₱10,000, rent control does not apply and your contract governs.
Can the landlord ask for 3 months deposit?
Not for covered units. RA 9653 says the landlord cannot demand more than 2 months deposit and 1 month advance.
The house was sold. Do I have to leave right away?
No. Under Sec. 10, a sale or mortgage of the property is not a ground for ejectment. The other grounds, like expiration of your lease, can still apply.
Can the landlord evict me so a relative can move in?
Only if the lease for a definite period has expired, you got formal notice 3 months in advance, and the owner does not lease the unit to anyone else for at least 1 year.
Is the 1% cap still in effect in 2027?
The current resolution covers up to December 31, 2026. Check with DHSUD for any new resolution.
Are student dorms covered?
Yes, if the rent is within the coverage. For boarding houses, dorms, rooms and bedspaces rented to students, rent can be increased no more than once a year.
Official sources
- Republic Act No. 9653 (Rent Control Act of 2009), full text
- NHSB Resolution No. 2024-01: Rent Control for January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026 (UP Law Center ONAR)
- Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development
- Supreme Court: Rules on Expedited Procedures in the First Level Courts (PDF)
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Rent control coverage and caps are set by resolution and may change. For your own situation, consult DHSUD, your barangay, PAO, the IBP or a lawyer. Pilipinas Guide is not a government office.
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