Raising Rent Mid-Lease — Not by One Side Alone · Yalla China

The situation: A tenant on a fixed one-year lease is suddenly told in month four to accept a 20% rent rise or be 'kicked out.'

Applicable law: A contract binds the parties; once it fixes the rent and term, neither side may change it unilaterally during the term — a raise needs mutual agreement. Nor may the tenant be evicted before the term ends except on an agreed ground or a material breach (like non-payment). At renewal, both may negotiate a new figure.

Outcome: The tenant held to the contract, the rent stayed unchanged until year's end, and any forced eviction would have exposed the landlord to liability.