Yes, but here is tricky part. Must give 30 days notice of your intention to raise rent, its legal terms and it does not mean actual 30 days (EVEN if the month has 31 days, or even only 28 days), what it means is that if the rent due is 1st of the month, you must let them know by the last day of the month, not the 1st day of month. If you let them know on 1st of day, your actually giving tenant 2 months notice instead of 1 month. (Applies only on month to month leases)*
Since your lease based on monthly, you CAN raise rent, how it works THE RIGHT WAY, remember, once you get payment for month to month lease, that is THE AGREEMENT you made, it is a 30 days lease actually. anyway supposed you want to raise rent, you must wait til Nov 1st to get more money out of rent, you must let the tenant know BY September 30th, NOT October 1st, that is when you can jack up rent for November 1st. This applies to end of contract. If tenant didn't tell you their intention to move oit by September 30th, hes stuck until end of November. BUT there is another way, not always works but I am pretty sure this law applies almost everywhere and it is called 3 days or quit, that is if the rent is due on October 1st and you haven't got rent money, you then inform the tenant on October 2nd, and if they didn't pay by October 4th, you then can kick them out by October 5th and you CAN refuse the payment on 2nd of October and on, can't refuse on the 1st of October.
This is just general guideline and pretty much applies everywhere in the United States. But there are few states that requires you apply though small claim court. Also, since your roommate with them, and share common quarters, PHOTOGRAPH everything, do not photograph his private room like their own bedroom, or any assigned private room(s) that you agreed with. Never photo their private quarter otherwise judge can dismiss all evidences out. Best you can do is forget here, don't depend on AllDeaf, go to your local housing council or HUD or whatever it is called in your area contact them and find out what your rights are, and see what you and them can do for you. Having them is your best defense. Don't be a bad landlord, because if you break the tenant law, you stand to lose everything. Advise wait on calling cops unless there is fight that involves injuries. Save cop until you have enough support to back you up. Why so? Simply, if you call cop and cop did show up and your tenant gets the laugh, your going to be screwed even more from your tenant and likely not much judge can do about it.
On other hand if there is a yearly lease, then it is whole different ballpark.
If no contract is signed, then you are free to do what you wish!
Should you kick them out, they are to be removed immediately! There is no waiting game when no contract is signed! However, having a contract, binds you both to agreements for which whom both of you agreed too, shall agree too!
Don't be afraid to boost up your rent! The bottom line is: It's your place. You own it. You was there first.
If they get mad, oh well! Rent goes up in the world. Not down.
Wish you a ton of luck, Derek!
* For yearly leases, want to raise rent?, must give 30 days notice too, how it is work right, say if January 1st is a annual yearly lease, then the landlord MUST inform no later than November 30 (Not December 1st or later) of their intention to raise the rate for the following year. If you inform on or after December 1st, tenant CAN refuse sign the lease, and if Landlord takes the rent for the month of December, if Tenant didn't let you know their intention to vacate the rent by Nov 30th, monthly lease becomes automatically apply, and tenant can screw you until last day of January where you can start the 3 days or quit and refuse the rent money as condition as no lease in effect.
Megatronicatron, see the red font, it is ILLEGAL to do so, and you could be held in concept with court. Once payment is recieved, it is considered a 30 days contract, so there is no such thing as no contract except if rent isn't paid within 3 days. I have heard stories, and you could ask Ken Davis at Deafnewspaper, website, he made vlog in ASL explain how to evict tenant, he had to deal with it and learn hard lesson.
If you ever wondering why most don't offer last day of month on lease, usually offers 1st, 10th, 15th or 20th of month, depending BUT never last day of month, that is because if using last day of month, it creates severe legal problems with 30 days notice.
