In California, landlords must refrain from retaliatory actions, such as imposing exorbitant rent hikes beyond the acceptable rent hike or implementing excessive rent hikes that don’t adhere to local laws and rent control regulations. The landlord can’t retaliate if a tenant requests repairs on a single-family home or rental units in a building. If the tenant points out that the landlord is acting against the rental agreement, the landlord can’t retaliate. Landlords should review the California Tenants Handbook to maintain a positive landlord-tenant relationship.