HB 1031: Landlord and tenant; limitations on increasing rent on residential properties; provide

Under current Georgia law, landlords can generally raise rent by any amount when a residential lease is renewed. This bill would add a new section to Georgia's landlord-tenant law (O.C.G.A. Title 44, Chapter 7) limiting how much a landlord can raise rent when a tenant renews their lease. Specifically, a landlord could not increase rent by more than 5 percent when renewing a lease with an existing tenant. However, this cap would not apply once a tenancy turns over completely, meaning if no tenant from the old lease still lives in the unit, the landlord could set a new rent at any level for the incoming tenant. The bill would take effect July 1, 2026, and would apply to leases signed or renewed on or after that date.

• Creates a new Georgia Code section (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-26) capping rent increases at 5 percent when a residential lease is renewed.
• Exempts landlords from the 5 percent cap when starting a brand-new tenancy after all prior tenants have vacated the unit.
• Sets an effective date of July 1, 2026, applying only to leases entered into or renewed on or after that date.

Residential landlords across Georgia, who would face a new limit on rent increases for renewing tenants, and residential tenants renewing existing leases, who would gain some protection against large rent hikes. Tenants moving into a unit after a full turnover would not benefit from the cap.

For tenants who stay in place and renew their lease, rent could rise by no more than 5 percent a year, offering some predictability against sharp increases. Landlords would still be free to set market-rate rent whenever a unit becomes fully vacant between tenants.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 44-7-26(a), barring landlords from raising rent more than 5 percent when a tenant renews a residential lease.
• Section 1 also adds subsection (b), which lets landlords set rent freely for a new tenancy once no tenant from the prior lease remains in the unit.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, and applies the law to leases entered into or renewed on or after that date.
• Section 3 repeals any existing laws that conflict with the new rent increase limit.

1. 2026-01-29House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2026-01-28House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2026-01-27House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• El-Mahdi Holly (D, HD-116)Patrocinador principal
• Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
• Eric Bell (D, HD-075)
• Imani Barnes (D, HD-086)
• Sylvia Baker (D, HD-064)
• Robert Flournoy (D, HD-074)

• rent control
• landlord tenant law
• housing affordability
• residential leases