When a Korean landlord asks for more deposit or rent, the Housing Lease Protection Act draws two lines. Article 7(1) lets either party claim an increase or decrease for the future when the agreed rent or deposit has become inappropriate because of changes in taxes, public charges or other burdens or in the economy, but an increase cannot be claimed within 1 year of the lease or the last increase. Article 7(2) caps an increase at one-twentieth (5%) of the agreed rent or deposit, and lets provinces and metropolitan cities set a different cap within that limit by ordinance. On a 200 million won deposit the most is 10 million won; on 800,000 won monthly rent, 40,000 won.
1. Increases up to one-twentieth (5%) — 200 million won becomes 210 million; 800,000 won rent becomes 840,000.
2. No increase claim within 1 year of the lease or the last increase (Art. 7(1)).
3. Paid too much? Claim it back (Art. 10-2); terms worse for the tenant are void (Art. 10).
Calculator
Updates as you type. An increase claim cannot exceed one-twentieth (5%) of the agreed rent or deposit, and cannot be made within 1 year of the lease or the last increase. Provinces and metropolitan cities may set a lower cap by ordinance. We count the year by the Civil Act and round down to the won.
The right to adjust — Article 7
| Type | What the source says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Grounds (1) | When the agreed rent or deposit has become inappropriate because of changes in taxes, public charges or other burdens on the home or in economic conditions, either party may claim an adjustment for the future | Decreases can be claimed too |
| 1-year bar (1) | No increase claim within 1 year of the lease or of an increase in the agreed rent or deposit | The bar is written for increases only |
| Cap (2) | An increase claim may not exceed one-twentieth of the agreed rent or deposit | One-twentieth = 5% |
| Ordinance (2) proviso | Special and metropolitan cities, Sejong and provinces may set a different cap within that limit by ordinance, for local market conditions | Reads as lower only, not higher |
Same line on renewal — Article 6-3(3)
A lease renewed under the tenant’s renewal right is treated as renewed on the same terms, except that rent and deposit may be adjusted within Article 7. So the renewal increase is also capped at one-twentieth. How often tenants use the renewal right is in lease renewal right usage.
If you paid over the cap — Articles 10 and 10-2
Article 10 says any agreement breaching the Act that is unfavourable to the tenant is void. Article 10-2 lets a tenant who paid rent or deposit above the Article 7 rate claim the excess back; the same applies to rent above the conversion rate under Article 7-2 (see jeonse-to-monthly converter).
Three sums — our example
| Case (our example) | Result | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit 200 million won, 5% cap | Up to 210 million won (+10 million) | 200 million ÷ 20 |
| Monthly rent 800,000 won, 5% cap | Up to 840,000 won (+40,000) | 800,000 ÷ 20 |
| Lease 26 October 2025, claim on 26 October 2026 | Still within 1 year — from 27 October | Year counted the Civil Act way (ours) |
The article does not say whether deposit and rent may each rise 5% at the same time or are judged together. The calculator shows each maximum; check what you actually agree (our note). With a 4.5% cap, a 200 million won deposit can rise by 9 million won.
How it differs from shops
The commercial lease law also has a 5% cap, but it stops applying above the converted deposit threshold (see commercial lease 5% calculator). Housing Article 7 has no such amount threshold.
Checklist
- ☐ The lease date or date of the last increase
- ☐ Whether the claim comes after 1 year from that date
- ☐ Whether the increase is at most one-twentieth
- ☐ Whether your province or city has a lower ordinance cap
- ☐ Claim back anything paid over the cap
Questions that remain
Does 5% apply to a brand-new lease?
Article 7 covers adjustment claims in an existing lease and renewals under Article 6-3. A new lease with someone else after the old one ends is not written into it (our reading).
What is my local cap?
We did not check local ordinances. Put the ordinance figure in the cap box.
Other renting topics, from the register check to getting the deposit back, are mapped in Renting a Home in Korea.
Sources
- Korean law database (law.go.kr) — Housing Lease Protection Act Arts. 6-3, 7, 10, 10-2 — source (current text, effective 2 January 2026, Act No. 21065; checked 26 October 2026). Grounds and future effect of adjustment claims, the 1-year bar on increases, the one-twentieth cap and ordinance proviso, renewal within Art. 7, void unfavourable terms, refund of excess rent.
- Not read. Local ordinances, case law, simultaneous deposit and rent increases.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean everyday gloss.
Where to check further
- Housing Lease Dispute Mediation Committee or Korea Legal Aid Corporation — disputes over increases (we did not read the committee’s guidance).
Written on 26 October 2026. The content is from the source; the glosses are ours.
