My family has lived in our rented home for over 25 years. Our landlord, despite a verbal agreement for a 5-year lease, now wants to raise the rent in just 2 years. What legal options do we have to challenge this sudden increase in rent? We only have an old landline bill in our name; no electricity or water bills.

While a verbal agreement for a 5-year lease is legally valid, the lack of documentation makes your case weaker. You can negotiate with the landlord, citing the long tenure and verbal agreement. If that fails, you may need to seek legal counsel to explore options like seeking protection under the Rent Control Act, applicable in certain states, or challenging the increase based on unfair practices.