Rent control refers to laws that limit the amounts of rent and the amounts that rent can be increased in any year. There is no statewide rent control in the US, and all the rent control laws and regulation are passed by cities. Most of the cities with rent control are located in New York, California, and New Jersey. Washington, D.C. also has rent control. State laws often affect City rent-control ordinances, so you should check both to find out about the law in your area.
In some places, like New York City, rent control and rent stabilization are different things and have different set of regulations. In other places, like Los Angeles, the two terms mean the same thing. Cities with rent control and/or rent stabilization usually have boards or agencies that enforce the laws and where both tenants and landlords can get information about their rights and responsibilities.
Rent control laws dont just concern rent limits or rent increases. They usually also deal with the landlords responsibility to make repairs, lease renewals, evictions, and special rules for groups like senior citizens. In some cities senior citizens are protected from any rent increase, even when increases are allowed for younger tenants.
In places that dont have rent control, if a landlord doesnt make necessary repairs the tenant sometimes has to take the risk of paying for repairs and then withholding rent. The danger is that the landlord will try and evict the tenant for nonpayment of rent. In places with a rent control board or agency, the tenant usually doesnt have to take that risk. The tenant can report the violation to the board or agency and ask for permission to withhold rent. In some cities, if the condition of a rental property is very bad, the board or agency can take over, collect the rents, and make repairs.