Montana’s rent increase laws in 2025 provide tenants with some protections but do not limit how much a landlord can raise the rent. Here’s what tenants in Montana should know:
Key Points on Rent Increases
- No Rent Control or Cap on Increases
- Montana has no rent control laws, and there is no state-mandated limit on how much a landlord can raise the rent.
- Landlords can increase rent by any amount, provided they give proper notice.
- Notice Requirements
- Month-to-Month Tenancy: Landlords must provide at least 30 days’ written notice before increasing rent.
- Year-Long Lease: For tenants with a fixed-term lease (such as a year), landlords must wait until the lease ends before raising rent. For a year-long lease, landlords are required to give 60 days’ notice in writing if they want to increase rent at renewal.
- Week-to-Week Tenancy: Landlords must give at least 7 days’ notice.
- Lease Terms and Rent Increases
- If a lease specifies the rental amount, the landlord cannot increase the rent during the lease term unless the lease contains a rent increase clause.
- After the lease ends, a landlord can propose a new rent amount for the renewal.
- Illegal Rent Increases
- Rent increases cannot be based on discrimination or retaliation. Landlords are prohibited from raising rent due to a tenant’s protected characteristics (race, religion, sex, disability, etc.) or in retaliation for a tenant exercising their legal rights (such as requesting repairs or joining a tenant union).
- If a rent increase is motivated by discrimination or retaliation, it is illegal.
Tenant Rights and Protections
- Right to Habitable Housing
- Landlords must maintain the property in a safe and habitable condition and make necessary repairs in a timely manner If repairs are not made, tenants may have the right to terminate the lease or deduct repair costs from rent after giving proper notice.
- Privacy Rights
- Landlords must provide at least 24 hours’ notice before entering the rental unit, except in emergencies.
- Security Deposits
- Landlords must return security deposits or provide a written statement of deductions within 30 days after the tenant moves out.
- Landlords must provide a written statement of the property’s condition at move-in.
- Anti-Discrimination
- Landlords cannot discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, disability, creed, age, or marital status.
Summary Table
| Tenancy Type | Notice Required for Rent Increase |
|---|---|
| Week-to-Week | 7 days |
| Month-to-Month | 30 days |
| Year-Long Lease | 60 days (at renewal) |
Sources:
- https://www.landlordstudio.com/landlord-tenant-laws/montana-landlord-tenant-laws
- https://www.hemlane.com/resources/montana-tenant-landlord-law/
- https://www.steadily.com/blog/how-much-can-a-landlord-raise-rent-in-montana
- https://www.steadily.com/blog/mid-term-rental-laws-regulations-montana
- https://american-apartment-owners-association.org/landlord-tenant-laws/montana/
