If you have signed a written lease, during the dates the lease is effective (generally a 6 to 12 month period, or “term”), a landlord may not increase rent without consent from the tenant. However, if you don’t have a written lease, or if you continue to rent after a lease term, you generally are considered to be renting on a month-to-month basis. Landlords often can raise rent on month-to-month tenants with proper written notice to the tenant. There is no rent control in Montana, which means there is no law controlling the amount of rent or how much rent can be increased. However, landlords may be prohibited from raising rent or terminating a tenancy in certain circumstances. For example, a landlord may not be able to increase rent or terminate a lease if a tenant has provided a written request for a repair in the last six months, as these changes after a repair request may be considered retaliation.