I told my apartment complex straight up, raise it and I leave. LOL! They obliged right away! No increase for me this year. Do not take this BS, you are in the driver’s seat right now, tell him to take their apartment and you know what… there is so much inventory out there!
If they have even an ounce of intelligence they will not raise your rent because just the carrying costs between you leaving and them finding someone else will cause them a huge net loss.