rent control

American  

noun

1. government control over the amount of rent charged, as for housing.

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rent control British  

noun

1. regulation by law of the rent a landlord can charge for domestic accommodation and of his right to evict tenants

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Other Word Forms

• rent-controlled adjective

Etymology

Origin of rent control

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Zoning restrictions, permitting delays, environmental reviews, rent control and eviction hurdles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

San Diego doesn’t have traditional rent control, though it does enforce less restrictive statewide tenant protections.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2026

For instance, if he wants to freeze rents for subsidised housing, he can appoint people aligned with this policy on the city's rent control board.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026

Three decades ago the state passed a law that prohibited local governments from applying rent control to single-family homes and apartments built after 1995.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025

But the couple saw through her ruse to get around rent control.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan