// maintenance · Oakland

Maintenance and Repairs in Oakland

2.3% for Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 (60% of CPI, 3% maximum); prior year 0.8%. A 24-hour line, licensed vendors, your approval threshold, and the vendor's invoice with nothing added.

2.3%Allowable increase, Aug 2026 to Jul 2027
$137RAP fee per covered unit, delinquent after Mar 1
$2,323Median rent, Oct 2026

How this works in Oakland

Repairs are where owner money leaks and tenant goodwill is won or lost. We run a 24-hour maintenance line, send licensed and insured vendors, and bill you exactly what the vendor billed us. You set a dollar threshold in the management agreement; below it we fix the problem, above it we call you with a quote. Habitability issues, no heat, no hot water, water coming in, go first, because in the East Bay a habitability complaint is also an eviction defense and in Oakland grounds for a tenant petition to the Rent Adjustment Program.

Cap
2.3% for Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 (60% of CPI, 3% maximum); prior year 0.8%. Units with a certificate of occupancy before Jan 1, 1983, including ADUs and individually rented rooms. Single-family homes and condos are exempt from the cap but must register and follow Just Cause.
Just cause
Citywide, covering single-family homes once the building is 10 or more years old. An owner move-in requires the owner to move in within 3 months and stay 36 months; no owner move-in or repair evictions during the OUSD school year when a child or educator lives in the unit. Wrongful eviction is 3x damages plus fees.
Fees and filings
RAP fee $137 per covered unit per year, billed with the business tax, delinquent after Mar 1, 50% passable to the tenant if paid on time. Business tax $13.95 per $1,000 of gross rental income, due Mar 1. Rent Registry update due Mar 1.

What is included

The full picture for owners is on the Oakland page; the service on its own is described under maintenance.

// questions

Maintenance in Oakland: questions owners ask

How much can I raise rent in Oakland this year?

2.3% for notices effective Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 on covered units (certificate of occupancy before Jan 1, 1983). You can add banked increases up to 3 times the current allowable, about 6.9%, if the unit is registered and a current Business Tax Certificate is attached to the notice. Single-family homes and condos follow the state 8.8% cap instead, or are exempt if individually owned with the lease notice.

Do I have to register my single-family rental?

Yes. The Rent Registry covers every unit, including houses and condos exempt from the cap, and the update is due Mar 1 each year. You also need a Business Tax Certificate ($13.95 per $1,000 of gross rent) and, unless the unit is owner-occupied or under 10 years old, you pay the $137 RAP fee.

Can I use my own handyman or plumber?

Yes, if they are licensed where the law requires it and carry insurance. We will add them to the vendor list for your property and dispatch to them first. If they do not respond within the window a repair needs, we send our vendor and tell you.

How fast do you respond to an emergency?

The line is answered around the clock. Loss of heat, hot water or water service, an active leak, a lockout, a sewer backup and a safety hazard are dispatched the same day, usually within hours. We tell you by text or email as soon as a vendor is assigned.

Who pays for a repair the tenant caused?

The tenant, where the lease and the facts support it. We document the cause with photos and the vendor's report, bill the tenant, and if it is unpaid at move-out it comes from the deposit with an itemized statement. Ordinary wear is the owner's cost under California law and we will tell you when something is wear rather than damage.

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