Beverly Hills owns one of the strictest rent control regimes in California, and the City prosecutes non-compliance aggressively. A landlord who skips annual registration with the Beverly Hills Rent Stabilization Program faces administrative penalties and a tenant who never has to pay registered rent until registration cures. A landlord who serves a defective just cause notice on a Chapter 6 property loses the unlawful detainer at the first appearance. Borna Houman Law represents Beverly Hills property owners and investors on RSO compliance, lawful rent increases, just cause evictions, and relocation fee disputes.
Key Takeaway: Beverly Hills operates two parallel rent stabilization regimes under Beverly Hills Municipal Code Title 4, Chapters 5 and 6. Chapter 6 covers most multi-family buildings constructed before February 1, 1986 and limits annual rent increases to roughly 3% to 8% depending on CPI, with strict just cause eviction. Chapter 5 covers later construction and is less restrictive. Failure to register the unit annually with the City suspends a landlord’s right to collect any rent increase until cured. Costa-Hawkins (Civ. Code § 1954.50 et seq.) exempts most single-family homes and condominiums from BH RSO controls.
Which Beverly Hills Properties Are Covered by Rent Stabilization?
BHMC § 4-5-101 and § 4-6-2 set the scope. The Chapter 6 (older, stricter) regime applies to:
- Residential rental units in buildings of two or more units;
- Built or first occupied on or before September 20, 1978 in some cases, or before February 1, 1986 in others (the date depends on the unit class);
- Located within the City of Beverly Hills incorporated boundaries.
Chapter 5 covers later construction multi-family units. Single-family residences and condominiums are exempt under Costa-Hawkins so long as the original lease was offered after January 1, 1996 and the proper exemption notice was served. Section 8 and other subsidized units, hotel rooms occupied less than 30 days, and accessory dwelling units recently created and properly noticed are also outside the RSO.
In our experience, the most common scope mistake we see is a landlord assuming a duplex with a separated rear cottage is “single family” and therefore Costa-Hawkins exempt. It almost never is. The City inspects on this exact issue, and a wrong call costs the rent rolls and the eviction.
What Are the Allowable Annual Rent Increases in Beverly Hills?
Allowable rent increases depend on which chapter governs the unit. Chapter 6 limits increases to the percentage announced annually by the City, calculated against the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim CPI-U. The City publishes the figure each spring. Chapter 5 increases are capped at a higher percentage but still subject to annual notice and the City’s posted maximum.
| Regime | Coverage | Annual Increase Limit | Frequency | Notice Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHMC Chapter 6 | Pre-1978/1986 multi-family | CPI-based, posted annually | Once per 12 months | 30-day or 60-day under Civ. Code § 827 |
| BHMC Chapter 5 | Post-1986 multi-family | CPI-based, higher cap | Once per 12 months | 30-day or 60-day under Civ. Code § 827 |
| Costa-Hawkins exempt SFR/condo | Single-family, condo (post-1995 lease) | State law (AB 1482) applies if not otherwise exempt | Once per 12 months | 30-day or 90-day if > 10% under AB 1482 |
| Vacancy decontrol | All units after voluntary tenant move-out | Market rate on re-rental | — | New tenancy resets baseline |
Critical detail: under Civ. Code § 827(b)(3), any rent increase exceeding 10% of the lowest amount charged in the prior 12 months requires 90-day written notice. Most BH RSO increases are within 10% and fall under the standard 30-day rule, but landlords stacking increases at the upper limit of the CPI-tied cap commonly trigger the 90-day rule by accident.
What Are the Just Cause Grounds for Eviction in Beverly Hills?
Chapter 6 lists the only grounds on which a covered tenant may be evicted. Service of any other reason is void on its face. The grounds, in summary form, are:
- Non-payment of rent (3-day notice to pay or quit, BHMC § 4-6-6 + CCP § 1161(2));
- Material breach of a lease term (3-day notice to cure or quit);
- Nuisance, illegal use of the unit, or substantial damage;
- Refusal to execute a written extension of an expired lease on substantially the same terms;
- Refusal to allow lawful entry under Civ. Code § 1954;
- The landlord’s good-faith intent to occupy the unit (or move in a qualifying relative);
- Withdrawal of the entire property from the rental market under the Ellis Act (Gov. Code § 7060);
- Substantial rehabilitation requiring vacancy;
- Demolition.
BH’s owner move-in eviction grounds are stricter than the AB 1482 baseline. The owner or relative must occupy the unit as a primary residence within 90 days of vacancy and remain at least 12 continuous months. SB 567 (effective April 1, 2024) added documentation and recovery requirements that BH layered on top of its own ordinance. An owner who fails to occupy is liable for treble damages and attorney’s fees.
How Are Relocation Fees Calculated for No-Fault Evictions?
BHMC § 4-6-7 imposes relocation assistance on no-fault evictions, including owner move-in, demolition, substantial rehabilitation, and Ellis Act withdrawals. Amounts adjust annually and depend on tenancy duration, household composition, and unit size. As of 2026, the schedule generally runs:
| Tenancy Length / Household Type | Approximate Relocation Assistance |
|---|---|
| Short-term tenancy (less than 1 year), standard household | $10,800 – $13,500 |
| Long-term tenancy (1+ years), standard household | $14,000 – $18,500 |
| Senior (62+), disabled, or minor children | Add $1,500 – $4,500 to base |
| Bedroom premium (each additional bedroom over 1) | Add a fixed dollar amount |
The exact schedule is published by the City and adjusts each July. Pay the wrong amount and the unlawful detainer is dismissable for failure to comply with the ordinance. Pay too much without confirming entitlement and the recovered funds are typically not refundable absent fraud.
Ellis Act relocation under Gov. Code § 7060.4 is a separate and additional payment regime. A landlord pursuing Ellis withdrawal in Beverly Hills must comply with both BH municipal relocation rules and the state Ellis relocation schedule, whichever is greater.
What Annual Compliance Steps Does the City Require?
The Rent Stabilization Program collects an annual registration fee and unit-level data. The 2025-2026 fee was approximately $235 per unit, billed half to the landlord and half passable through to the tenant under BHMC. Owners must register every covered unit, report vacancy events, and submit any rent increase for verification. Failure to register suspends the right to charge any increase, and rent overcharges are recoverable by the tenant with statutory penalties.
In our experience, the costliest landlord error in Beverly Hills is a missed annual registration paired with several CPI-tied rent increases. The tenant pays the increase, then later disputes it; the City confirms non-registration; the landlord refunds 24 to 36 months of overcharge and pays the tenant’s attorney’s fees under BHMC § 4-6-12. We have unwound this exact pattern dozens of times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AB 1482 apply to Beverly Hills properties?
AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019) applies to BH properties only where the BH RSO does not. The City of Beverly Hills RSO is more protective in most respects, so it controls for Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 units. AB 1482 fills the gap for non-RSO properties such as Costa-Hawkins exempt single-family homes and condominiums where the landlord did not properly serve the SFR exemption notice.
Can a Beverly Hills landlord raise rent more than 10% in one year?
Almost never under Chapter 6. The CPI-tied cap rarely permits more than the City’s posted maximum. Even where mathematically permitted, a 90-day notice under Civ. Code § 827(b)(3) is required for any cumulative 12-month increase over 10%. AB 1482 caps increases at 5% plus CPI to a 10% ceiling for AB 1482-covered properties.
What happens if a landlord fails to register a unit annually?
The right to collect any rent increase is suspended until registration is brought current. The tenant retains a private right of action for overcharges, and the City may impose administrative penalties. Tenant attorney’s fees are recoverable in any successful overcharge action.
Can a landlord do an owner move-in eviction in Beverly Hills?
Yes, but the requirements are strict. The owner or qualifying relative must occupy the unit as a primary residence within 90 days and remain for at least 12 continuous months. SB 567 documentation and notice requirements apply on top of BHMC. Relocation assistance is required. Failure to occupy as represented exposes the owner to treble damages and the tenant’s attorney’s fees.
Does Costa-Hawkins exempt my Beverly Hills duplex from RSO?
No. Costa-Hawkins exempts true single-family homes and condominiums on a separately conveyed lot from local rent control, provided the lease offered was on or after January 1, 1996 and the SFR exemption notice was served. A duplex, triplex, or any 2+ unit building remains under BH RSO regardless.
How long does a Beverly Hills unlawful detainer take?
An uncontested non-payment unlawful detainer can resolve in 30 to 45 days from notice service. Contested actions, including those raising RSO defenses, run 60 to 120 days. Just-cause and owner-move-in cases routinely take longer because of relocation, registration, and proof-of-intent issues.
Talk to a Beverly Hills Real Estate Attorney
Borna Houman Law represents landlords, property owners, real estate investors, and HOA boards across Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West LA, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Westwood, Century City, Bel Air, Culver City, and the broader LA County market. We handle BHMC Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 compliance, lawful rent increases, just cause evictions, owner move-in defense, Ellis Act withdrawals, and relocation fee disputes. Related reading: our LARSO compliance guide, our Santa Monica rent control landlord guide, and our step-by-step eviction guide for California landlords.
Call (888) 42-BORNA to schedule a confidential consultation.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about Beverly Hills Municipal Code Chapter 4-5 and 4-6 and California rent control law. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The City of Beverly Hills updates registration fees, allowable rent increase percentages, and relocation assistance schedules each year; verify current figures with the Rent Stabilization Program before relying on them. For advice on a specific property or tenancy, consult a licensed California real estate attorney.
