LA Apartment Move-In Specials: How to Calculate Net Effective Rent

Last updated October 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.

Many Los Angeles buildings, especially new ones, advertise move-in specials like “6 weeks free” or “1 month free.” These offers lower what you pay over the lease, but your lease still lists the full rent. Here is how to compare offers.

Note: This page does not list specific buildings’ current specials. Specials change often; confirm any offer directly with the building and get it in your lease.

What is net effective rent?

Net effective rent is your average monthly cost after the concession:

Net effective rent = (face rent × lease months − value of concession) ÷ lease months

Worked example (illustrative numbers)

Assume an advertised rent of $3,000 a month. That figure is made up for the math, not a market quote.

Illustrative calculation. “Weeks free” is converted at 12 months ÷ 52 weeks. Some buildings value a week differently, so ask how they calculate it.

Read the table this way: “6 weeks free” on a 12-month lease makes a $3,000 unit cost about $2,653.85 a month on average. “1 month free” on a 13-month lease works out to about $2,769.23, because the free month is spread over more months.

Watch out for the renewal

Your renewal increase is usually based on the face rent, not the net effective rent. If $3,000 drops to an average of about $2,654 this year, a renewal at or above $3,000 is a real increase of roughly 13% or more over what you actually paid.

• Statewide cap (AB 1482): Civil Code 1947.12 limits increases to 5% plus inflation or 10%, whichever is lower, measured from the lowest gross rent in the prior 12 months. Accepted discounts, incentives, concessions and credits are excluded from that calculation, and the lease must list the gross rent and any concession separately. In other words, the cap is measured from the face rent.
• Newer buildings are often exempt: 1947.12 doesn’t apply to housing with a certificate of occupancy issued within the previous 15 years. New lease-up buildings, where specials are most common, are often exempt.
• See AB 1482 explained, LA RSO explained and how to negotiate your renewal.

Checklist before you sign

• Is the concession in the lease, with the gross rent and the concession listed separately?
• When is it applied: up front, spread across months, or at the end of the lease?
• Does breaking the lease early mean paying the concession back?
• What lease length does the offer require?
• Are there required fees (parking, amenity, pet, utilities) that offset the savings? Estimate them with our move-in cost calculator.
• Is the security deposit within the AB 12 cap? See our AB 12 guide.

FAQ

What does “6 weeks free” actually save?

On a 12-month lease, six weeks equals about 1.385 months of rent. At an illustrative $3,000 face rent, that is about $4,154 off, for a net effective rent of about $2,654 a month.

Is net effective rent what I pay each month?

Not necessarily. Many buildings charge the full face rent most months and apply the free period at the start or in specific months. Net effective rent is an average for comparing offers.

Can my landlord raise the rent back to the full price at renewal?

Often, yes. Under California’s AB 1482 cap (Civil Code 1947.12), concessions are excluded when the allowed increase is calculated, and many newer buildings are exempt from the cap altogether. Check whether your unit is covered by AB 1482 or the LA RSO.

Are move-in specials negotiable?

Sometimes. Ask whether a longer lease, a different move-in date or a different unit changes the offer, and get any agreement in writing.

Related: LA renting guide, rent affordability calculator, how to spot a rental scam.

Sources

California Civil Code 1947.12 (AB 1482 rent cap; concessions excluded)
California Civil Code 1950.5 (security deposits, as amended)