Rent Control in the Philippines: Does It Cover Your Rental?

Rent control in the Philippines is a government limit on rent increases, and on the deposit and advance, for residential units with a low monthly upa. If the rent on your unit falls within the threshold set by the DHSUD, you may not raise the upa past the cap for the same tenant, and there is a limit on the deposit and advance you may ask for. If the rent is above the threshold, or the lease is commercial, you are normally not covered.

Plenty of small landlords have no idea they are covered, especially those renting out rooms or bedspace. Let us take it point by point.

Which law covers rent control?

The main law is the Rent Control Act of 2009 (Republic Act No. 9653). Under it, the increase in rent for covered units may be adjusted by government. At present it is the National Human Settlements Board under the DHSUD (Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development) that issues the resolutions on the threshold and on the cap for increases.

Which means the original law is not the only thing to read. What matters is the latest resolution.

Who is covered by rent control?

Broadly, residential units whose monthly upa is at or below the threshold are covered. That takes in:

• Houses, apartments and condo units that are lived in
• Rooms rented out
• Bedspace, dormitories and boarding houses

Not covered: units used as a business (commercial), and residential units whose rent is above the threshold.

When the law first passed, the threshold was ₱10,000 and below in Metro Manila and the highly urbanised cities, and ₱5,000 and below elsewhere. For 2025 through 2026, the DHSUD reported that the coverage is residential units renting at ₱10,000 and below a month. Check the exact text of the resolution for your own area.

How much may the upa go up?

For the same tenant, there is a cap on the percentage the rent may rise each year. Per the DHSUD announcement:

• 2025: up to a 2.3% increase for a covered unit
• 2026: up to a 1% increase for the same tenant who was already renting in 2025 and renewed or stayed on in 2026

For dorms, boarding houses and bedspace rented to students, the law also says the rent may not be raised more than once in a year.

After December 2026 there may be a new resolution with different figures. Do not lean on an old number.

How much deposit and advance may be asked for?

In units covered by rent control:

• Up to one month of advance rent
• Up to two months of deposit

The law also says the deposit should be placed in a bank and that the interest on it goes to the tenant at the end of the upa. If you are asking a covered current tenant for more than this, better to put it right now. Read also security deposit and advance.

How do you tell whether your unit is covered?

Run this checklist:

1. Is the unit used residentially, rooms, bedspace or dorm included?
2. How much is the current monthly upa?
3. Is it at or below the threshold in the latest DHSUD resolution?
4. Is it the same tenant, or a new one?
5. When was the rent last raised?

If the first three are a yes, you are probably covered. Where there is doubt, call or visit the DHSUD, or consult a lawyer.

What should a landlord do now?

• Check the current resolution on the DHSUD website before renewing a kontrata
• Write into the kontrata the amount of the rent and the date of the last increase
• Do not go past the cap for the same tenant
• Keep the records of the rent year by year, so you have proof if you are asked
• Give notice to the tenant before any increase, even one within the cap

Rent control is not only about raising the rent. It also carries provisions on the grounds for eviction, so read our guide to ejecting a tenant properly as well.

How MagpaUpa helps

MagpaUpa carries a rent-control warning: when the rent on a residential unit looks to be within the threshold, it shows a reminder so you can check the deposit, the advance and the increase before generating the kontrata. The deposit and advance on every lease are recorded too, so it is easy to see whether you are asking for more than you should. Try MagpaUpa.