05/06/2026
How to raise your rent without losing good tenants
The rent has to go up. You know it. Your expenses know it.
The question is not whether to raise the rents, it's how to do it without your best tenant packing out and leaving you with a vacant unit that could cost more than the increase ever would have earned.
Whether you own one flat or ten, this is how to handle it. 👇
I've noticed that most landlords make one or two of these mistakes.
They either avoid the conversation about rent increase until they're desperate, then they shock the tenant with a 60% increase overnight.
Or out of guilt, they just leave the rent as it is for years, while quietly watching their income drop and inflation eats everything they worked for.
Both are costly mistakes.
Here's how to do it right:
1. Give real notice not last-minute notice Lagos and most other states require written notice before a rent increase.
But beyond the law, good tenants plan their finances. So I recommend you give at least 3–6 months notice not 3 weeks.
It shows respect, and respect keeps people from leaving.
2. Tie the increase to something real
"The economy is hard" is not a reason, your tenant is living that too.
Point to specifics like rising maintenance costs, increases in land use charges, higher service costs.
When your tenant understand the why, they are likely to comply.
3. Keep increases small and steady
A 20% increase every two years is far easier to manage than a 60% jump after six years of keeping same rent.
Build a schedule. Stick to it. When tenants can see the pattern, they plan for it and they stay.
4. Show investment before you send the notice
Truth be told most landlords skip this and it's the step that makes the biggest difference.
Before the rent increase lands, repaint the apartment.
Fix that thing they've been asking about for months. It doesn't have to cost much. It just has to be visible.
A tenant who just watched you put money into their comfort is far less likely to walk out over a reasonable increase.
5. Have the conversation directly
Slipping a letter under your tenants door is not a conversation.
Call your long-term, reliable tenants, call them. Explain. Listen.
Most good tenants won't leave over a fair increase handled with respect. They leave when they feel blindsided or disrespected.
Good tenants don't just pay rent. They maintain the property, pay on time, and don't cause problems.
The cost of losing one means vacancy, agent fees, fixing up the place before a new tenant moves in.
This might hurt more than whatever extra rent you were trying to collect.
You can raise your rent. But do it with your head, not your back against the wall.
I am Segun Ogunbiyi, your property protector. CEO, Sumtech Real Estate Consultants.
This is what I do. I manage your property so you don't have to deal with any of this alone.
Have you had a rent review conversation recently? How did your tenant respond? Share below — your experience might help another landlord or property owner handle theirs. 👇
📌 Save this if you have a rent review coming up.
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