After the expiration of a notice to quit or a notice of termination of tenancy, a landlord may file an unlawful detainer (eviction) lawsuit to recover possession of rental unit. Unscrupulous landlords who are hoping to get rid of tenants paying low rent in rent-controlled jurisdictions may file frivolous or meritless unlawful detainer lawsuits in the hope that tenants will give up without a fight and move out because they cannot afford legal counsel.

In jurisdictions such as San Francisco, local rent boards render decisions involving landlord petitions for rent increases, substantial rehabilitation exemptions, extensions of time to complete capital improvement work, and tenant occupancy status; and tenant petitions for substantial decrease in housing services, failure to repair and maintain, unlawful rent increase or request for determination of lawful rent, improper passthroughs, failure to discontinue a capital improvement passthrough, proportional rent claim by a subtenant against a master tenant, unlawful initial rent claim by a subtenant, and alleged wrongful evictions.

Among the most common rent board hearings are attempts by landlords to raise rents above the amount permitted under that rent board’s annual rent increase. Showing up to a rent board hearing without legal representation puts a tenant at a significant disadvantage and increases the odds of a landlord prevailing.

Our team represents renters throughout the Bay Area at all types of rent board hearings. A final note: Regardless of the outcome of a rent board hearing, you may still be able to pursue other legal remedies against your landlord because rent board hearings are not part of the judicial system.