Seattle Laws

Topics on this page:

Just Cause Eviction Ordinance
Seattle Housing Inspection
Rental Agreement Regulation Ordinance
Third Party Billing Ordinance
Housing and Building Maintenance Code
Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance
Fair Housing in Seattle
Right to Organize
Seattle Noise Laws
Condo Conversion
Resources for Seattle Tenants
FAQs: Seattle Laws

Before using any of this online tenant information, please read our OVERVIEW:

Understanding Landlord-Tenant Law
Tools for Tenants
Best Practices and Tips for Renters

Solid Ground Tenant Counselors are not attorneys, and this information should not be considered legal advice. To read specific laws in the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, click on the RCW (Revised Code of WA) links throughout this site.

QUESTIONS? Tenant Services Message Line

The City of Seattle offers renters some additional modest protections that other parts of Washington state do not have. These laws apply to all residential tenancies in the Seattle city limits. If you’re unsure whether your unit is located in the city limits of Seattle, you can look it up on the King County Parcel Viewer. The property report lists each address within a specific jurisdiction: City of Seattle, unincorporated King County, etc. Different laws in Seattle are regulated by different city departments: some are enforced by the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and some by the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI). If you’d like more information on enforcement of landlord-tenant laws in the city of Seattle, SDCI can be reached at 206.615.0808.

Just Cause Eviction Ordinance

SMC 22.206.160(c): Duties of owners – Just Cause Eviction
Seattle Just Cause Eviction Ordinance: Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)

The Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (JCEO) was passed in Seattle as a result of the work of Seattle renters and the Tenants Union of Washington. JCEO requires that Seattle landlords have just cause reasons to terminate tenancy or evict month-to-month or other periodic tenants (tenants who pay rent weekly or twice a month). There are 18 total just causes listed in the ordinance – many more than there were in the past. Just causes for eviction include rent nonpayment, noncompliance with lease terms, chronically late rent payments, and the intention of the landlord to occupy the unit themselves or rent the unit to an immediate family member. The notice required for each just cause reason varies. Outside of city limits, there is no just cause protection for tenants, and landlords can ask tenants who are not on a term lease to vacate with only 20 days’ written notice. In Bellingham and Vancouver, landlords must give 60 days’ written notice.

The landlord cannot use just cause termination in retaliation for tenants asserting their rights under landlord-tenant law or calling in complaints with code enforcement. Seattle tenants experiencing retaliation can contact the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) at 206.615.0808. This does not include tenants on leases, whose tenancy ends when the lease ends, unless otherwise stated in the lease. Seek legal assistance as soon as possible if you are facing eviction in the City of Seattle. If you have defenses in an eviction lawsuit, you may be able to secure an attorney to represent you in court. Tenants facing eviction in Seattle can contact Catholic Community Center’s Tenant Law Center or the King County Bar Association’s Housing Justice Project.

The most commonly used just cause reasons given to month-to-month tenants in Seattle are:

1) Failure to pay rent or comply with rules of the rental agreement.

2) Rent is consistently paid late.

3) The tenant regularly does not comply with the rules of the rental agreement.

The landlord has just cause to evict a tenant who receives three or more 10-day notices in a 12-month period. It is very important for tenants to respond in writing to all 10-day notices they receive from the landlord and provide as much documentation as possible that they are in compliance with the rules of their tenancy.

The landlord cannot serve these notices in a retaliatory manner. If the landlord is relying on this just cause to terminate tenancy, they must issue the tenant a 20-day termination notice prior to beginning the eviction process. For more information on the eviction process and your rights against retaliation, navigate to our Eviction webpage.

4) The landlord intends to occupy the unit themselves or rent it to an immediate family member.

In order to use this just cause reason, there must not be another comparable unit available in the building. People considered immediate family include: domestic partners, spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings or children. If the landlord uses this just cause reason to end the tenancy, the tenant is entitled to 20 days’ written notice before the day that rent is due. The landlord or landlord’s family member must occupy the unit for at least 60 consecutive days during the 90-day period after the tenant moves out. If the landlord or their family member does not occupy the unit for those 60 consecutive days, the tenant may file a complaint with SDCI and may sue the landlord for damages up to $2,000 in Small Claims Court or other appropriate court.

5) The owner decides to sell a single family dwelling unit.

Seattle tenants living in single family dwelling units that are being put up for sale are entitled to 60 days’ written notice before the end of a rental period. Single family dwelling units are houses designed to hold a single family, not apartment buildings, duplexes or triplexes.

Within the 30 days after the tenant leaves, the landlord must take action to list and show the unit. The landlord must continue to try to sell the unit for 90 days after they first listed and showed the unit. If the landlord does not go through with these steps as described in the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, the tenant may file a complaint with SDCI and may sue the landlord for damages up to $2,000 in Small Claims Court or other appropriate court.

If you’re a month-to-month Seattle tenant living in a non-single family dwelling unit, the sale of the property is not considered a just cause reason for termination. In an apartment or condo sale, the tenancy will be transferred to the new owner. For more information, contact SDCI.

Read the SMC 22.206.160(c) for the complete list of just cause reasons. SDCI is responsible for regulating and enforcing the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance in Seattle. If a notice is issued to a tenant improperly, SDCI has the authority to rescind the notice. SDCI can be reached by phone at 206.615.0808.

Seattle Housing Inspection

Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) Code Compliance
SMC 22.206.265: Emergency relocation assistance payments
SMC 22.214: Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance

The Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) has Code Enforcement inspectors who visit properties to ensure that residential units are in compliance with local building codes. Typically Code Enforcement will want you to first go through the initial repair process of notifying the landlord in writing of the need for a repair and to wait the appropriate timeframe (navigate to our Repairs webpage for details). The city may be able to impose fines on the landlord or otherwise penalize the landlord for code violations. Be sure to ask for a copy of their report as this documentation can be very helpful.

Be aware that if your unit completely lacks water or electricity, it could be condemned by the city. You may be eligible for emergency rental assistance if your unit is condemned. Call SDCI Code Compliance at 206.615.0808 to describe your situation and ask them what actions they are likely to take so that you can balance the decision to file a complaint.

A rental business license and inspection program will soon be enforced in Seattle as well. The City of Seattle passed the Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance requiring business licenses for all landlords renting properties within the city limits. The ordinance will take effect beginning in 2014.

All rental units in Seattle must meet basic health and safety standards, as established by the Housing and Building Maintenance Code. More details on the program will be made available as the program begins. For more information, or to get involved, see SDCI’s Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance.

Rental Agreement Regulation Ordinance

SMC 7.24: Rental Agreement Regulation
Seattle Rental Agreement Regulation Ordinance: Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)

1) In Seattle, 60 days’ notice to tenants is required for all housing cost increases of 10% or more in a 12-month period.

The Rental Agreement Regulation Ordinance (RARO), requires that Seattle landlords give tenants 60 days’ written notice of any increase in housing costs of 10% or more in a 12-month period. Housing costs include rent and any other monthly or periodic fees for other services that the tenant pays the landlord, but do not include usage-based utility charges.

If you have been given less than the required amount of notice, you can contest an improper rent increase. See our Sample Letter: Improper Rule Change / Fee or Rent Increase. Tenants can also file a complaint with the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI), which has the authority to rescind an improper rent increase notice.

If the landlord does not follow the requirement to provide a 60-day written notice for a rent increase of 10% or more, and instead serves a 3-Day Pay or Vacate Notice, the tenant can pay the rent increase by writing “payment under protest” on their check.

The tenant can then pursue the difference owed from the improper rent increase in Small Claims Court. It would also be a good idea for the tenant to pursue legal help through the Housing Justice Project in Seattle. Navigate to our Legal Assistance Guide for renters for more information.

Some tenants will choose not to pay the increase at all and just pay their regular amount. The risk here is that the tenant could end up in eviction court for rent nonpayment after service of the 3-Day Pay or Vacate Notice, and will have to explain to a judge or court commissioner why they think the rent increase is not appropriate. This can be a risky choice, because whenever a landlord files an eviction lawsuit against a tenant, it creates a permanent record of eviction even if the tenant wins the court case.

2) One-way leases are illegal in Seattle.

A “one-way lease” is a rental agreement that requires a month-to-month tenant to stay for more than one rental period, or that charges fees or requires the tenant to waive their deposit if they vacate before a set period of time. In addition, RARO makes it illegal for landlords to penalize month-to-month tenants for vacating before a specified time set out in the lease. One-way leases are prohibited in the city of Seattle.

3) Seattle landlords must provide landlord-tenant information to renters.

Third Party Billing Ordinance

SMC 7.25.050: Dispute resolution and remedies
Third Party Billing Questions and Answers
Third Party Billing Ordinance
Office of Hearing Examiner

All city of Seattle tenants living in buildings with three or more units are covered under the third party billing ordinance. Third party billing is when the landlord is billed by the utility company and then passes the cost on to the tenants living in the rental units. The landlord is billed for utility usage based on the entire building’s charges or master meter, and then divides the bill up and sends it to individual units. Tenants are charged based on the divided total bill, rather than their individual utility usage.

Sometimes landlords use billing companies to divide and calculate the bills for each unit. These companies may be based outside of the state, but they still must conform to third party billing rules for all units located in the city of Seattle. It is legal for landlords to bill tenants for utilities, and to use out-of-state billing companies, but they must conform to the obligations set out in the third party billing ordinance. The ordinance requires landlord and billing agencies to disclose detailed information to tenants about their bills and to be transparent about their billing practices.

Landlords must inform tenants of any new billing practices. Each bill must include the name, address and phone number of the landlord or billing company, and must detail each item for which the tenant is being charged, including service and late fees. It must also include beginning and ending meter readings for sub-metered units, the due date and date late fees will be applied, and past due balances. Statements must also detail a process for disputing billings, as well as an address for submitting disputes to the landlord or company.

The ordinance also limits the amount of service charges, late fees, and insufficient funds check fees a landlord can collect per month. Landlords must keep bills for master metered or other unmetered utility services on file for at least two years and have to make those bills available to tenants for inspection and copying if the tenant requests them.

Tenants who think they are being incorrectly billed must send a notice to the landlord or billing agent (whoever is identified as the responsible agent) within 30 days of the billing in question. The billing agent or landlord must respond to the concern within 30 days. If no resolution can be reached with the landlord or agent, the tenant can file a complaint with the Seattle Office of Hearing Examiner or choose to take the landlord to Small Claims Court.

Housing and Building Maintenance Code

SMC 22.206.160: Duties of owners
SMC 22.206.180: Prohibited acts by owners
SMC 22.202.010: Enforcement authority – rules
Seattle Laws Regarding Building Maintenance and Repair: Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)

The Seattle Housing and Building Maintenance Codes establish further requirements for landlords and tenants in the city limits. It also sets minimum standards for providing adequate heating in rented housing units. Seattle tenants can report code violations to the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) and they will send inspectors out to take a look at the problem and follow up with the landlord. The SDCI Landlord Complaint Line phone number is 206.615.0808, or you can file a report online at Filing a Complaint.

The Housing and Building Maintenance Code also defines acts by owners that are prohibited in the city of Seattle and may be considered to be harassment or retaliation against the tenant. They include changing the locks in a unit, removing doors, shutting off utilities, self-help evictions, entering without proper notice, and evicting or increasing the rent of a tenant who reports code violations to SDCI.

Seattle Police Department, not SDCI, has the authority to enforce this section of the code, but they still often do not get involved in landlord-tenant matters. You can still call the nonemergency police number at 206.625.5011 and show them a copy of the law (SMC 22.202.010). The Housing and Building Maintenance Code also prohibits certain behaviors by tenants. It is unlawful for a tenant to harass an owner or retaliate against an owner by changing the locks on the unit, intentionally damaging the unit or removing appliances or fixtures supplied by the landlord.

The Seattle Housing and Building Maintenance Codes also specifically entitle Seattle tenants to the right to organize in their buildings. See our Right to Organize section below for more information.

Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance

SMC 22.210: Tenant relocation assistance
Seattle’s Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance
SMC 22.206.260: Seattle emergency order

The Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance was passed in 1990 and requires landlords to pay relocation money to tenants living on low incomes who are displaced from their units because of housing demolition, substantial rehabilitation, change of use or removal of restrictions placed on subsidized housing. Tenants are entitled to 90 days’ notice before they have to vacate the unit for one of these purposes.

The owner must obtain permits in order to perform any of the actions listed above and must first apply for tenant relocation licenses for residents impacted. Owners who fail to seek a relocation permit are not allowed to begin an eviction action against the tenants. Tenants are eligible for relocation assistance if their family income is less than 50% of area median income. The amount for relocation assistance changes from time to time but can be up to $3,000. The landlord pays half and the city pays half.

Thirty days after the landlord submits an application for a tenant relocation license, the landlord must deliver a tenant relocation information packet to the tenant. Tenants must apply for relocation assistance within 30 days after the owner delivers them a relocation information packet. Tenants do not automatically get relocation assistance just because the landlord applied for a relocation license. You must take action to apply for the relocation assistance money. Be aware that if you vacate your unit prior to your landlord getting the relocation license, you will likely waive your right to relocation assistance.

The Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) may also issue an emergency order directing the housing to be vacated if there is an imminent threat to the health or safety of the occupants. Tenants who are required to vacate because of an emergency order are entitled to relocation assistance if they meet certain conditions. For more information, call SDCI at 206.615.0808.

Fair Housing in Seattle

Seattle Office for Civil Rights
- Seattle’s Source of Income Protections
- Seattle’s Source of Income Protection Ordinance
Your Housing Rights and Section 8 Programs Brochure
Seattle Fair Housing: City of Seattle Office for Civil Rights’ Equal Housing Opportunity Initiative
Fair Chance Housing Ordinance: Seattle Office for Civil Rights
Fair Chance Housing Ordinance: Frequently Asked Questions

The city of Seattle offers additional protection against discrimination in housing based on membership in a protected class. Discrimination against tenants on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, disability, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation (including gender identity), and veteran/military status is illegal across Washington state.

Starting on September 30, 2018, all renters in the state will be protected from discrimination based on source of income or Section 8 voucher status. No landlord will be able to legally refuse to rent to someone just because they use a Section 8 voucher, Social Security, or Veteran’s Assistance to pay their rent. For more information on Source of Income Discrimination, see Washington Law Help.

Landlords must offer one-year leases for Section 8 voucher tenants, and cannot charge Section 8 tenants a rental rate that exceeds the rate charged to a non-Section 8 tenant. However, landlords do not have to lower their standard market rental rates to make the unit reasonably affordable to Section 8 voucher tenants. Civil rights agencies enforce these laws.

Inside Seattle city limits, it is also illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of age, political ideology, or the use of a trained guide dog. Landlords in Seattle cannot legally decide not to rent to someone just because they are in any one of these protected classes, nor can they treat renters in those groups any differently than other tenants.

In addition, Seattle landlords cannot unfairly deny people housing based on their criminal record. The Fair Chance Housing Ordinance prevents landlords from unfairly denying applicants housing based on criminal history. It also prohibits the use of advertising language that automatically or categorically excludes people with arrest records, conviction records, or criminal history. The Seattle Office for Civil Rights has published more information about the ordinance, including a Frequently Asked Questions page.

Find out more information at the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, King County Office of Civil Rights and the Washington State Human Rights Commission.

Right to Organize

SMC 22.206.180(7): Prohibited acts by owners

Under the Seattle Housing and Building Maintenance Codes, Seattle landlords are prohibited from preventing or discriminating against tenants who are organizing in their buildings. Organizing activities include passing out flyers and information to your neighbors, posting information in common areas, creating connection with your neighbors and inviting them to get involved, and holding meetings that are unattended by management or agents of the landlord in the building.

If the landlord takes any undue negative action against a tenant who has participated in one of these organizing activities, it is automatically assumed to be retaliation and is illegal. If you would like more information or want to report retaliation by your landlord for organizing in your building, contact the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) at 206.615.0808, or you can file a report online at Filing a Complaint.

Seattle Noise Laws

Avoiding Noise: Seattle Police Department
SMC 25.08: Noise control
Seattle Noise Code: Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)

Seattle noise laws are enforced by the Seattle Police Department. Seattle laws regulate “residential disturbances” and “unreasonable noise” within city limits. For more information, see Seattle Police Department: Avoiding Noise. You can call the nonemergency Seattle police number at 206.625.5011 to report noise violations, but it can be very difficult to get police response, especially on weekend nights.

Generally, the police will just issue a verbal warning to the household making excessive noise, but they can make a residential disturbance a criminal offense after repeated violations. They may also charge a fine, or contact the property owner after more than one offense. You can call 9.1.1 if the noise problem is accompanied by a concern for your safety or the safety of others in the building

The Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) also regulates outdoor construction and installation noises. See SDCI’s guidelines on Seattle Noise Code for further information.

Condo Conversion

SMC 22.903: Condominium conversion
RCW 64.34.440: Conversion condominiums – notice – tenants – relocation assistance
RCW 59.18.200: Tenancy from month to month or for rental period – termination – armed forces exception – exclusion of children – conversion to condominium – notice
Condominium Conversion: A Guide for Tenants and Prospective Buyers

Both state and municipal laws govern condo conversions in the city of Seattle. State law entitles tenants to 120 days’ notice in the case of condo conversion and gives renters the right of first refusal to purchase the unit. Seattle also has a relocation requirement for condominium conversions and requires that landlords inform tenants of the relocation assistance in writing with 120 days’ notice.

Households earning less than 80% of area median income will qualify for relocation assistance if they choose not to or cannot purchase and remain in their unit. Qualifying households will receive the equivalent of three months’ rent in relocation assistance. Elderly renters or people living with disabilities may receive some additional funds to help with moving costs. The developer must pay this relocation assistance by the date the tenants vacate the units.

RCW 64.34.440(1)(b) also states the specific reasons that a landlord can evict a tenant during the 120-day notice period. During the notice period immediately preceding a condo conversion, tenants can be evicted for failing to pay rent, causing a waste or nuisance on the property, violating another tenant’s peaceful enjoyment of the property, or any other reason listed in RCW 59.12.030, such as failure to comply with a 10-day notice to comply or vacate.

Resources for Seattle Tenants

SMC 22.206.160(c): Duties of owners – just cause eviction ordinance
Seattle Landlord-Tenant Laws: Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)
King County Parcel Viewer: King County website
Third Party Billing Questions and Answers: Created by City of Seattle
Third Party Billing Ordinance: Seattle Municipal Code
SMC 7.25.050: Dispute resolution and remedies
Office of Hearing Examiner: City of Seattle website
Seattle Laws Regarding Building Maintenance and Repair: Created by SDCI
SMC 22.206.160: Duties of owners
SMC 22.206.180: Prohibited acts by owners
SMC 22.202.010: Enforcement authority – rules
Seattle’s Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance: Created by SDCI
SMC 22.210: Tenant relocation assistance
Seattle Police Department: Avoiding Noise: Seattle Police Department website
SMC 25.08: Noise control
Seattle Noise Code: Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)
Condominium Conversion: A Guide for Tenants and Prospective Buyers: Created by SDCI
SMC 22.903: Condominium conversion
RCW 64.34.440: Conversion condominiums – notice – tenants – relocation assistance
RCW 59.18.200: Tenancy from month to month or for rental period – termination – armed forces exception – exclusion of children – conversion to condominium

FAQs: Seattle Laws

Q: How do I know if I’m protected under Seattle laws?

The King County Parcel Viewer is a research tool that offers detailed information on all properties in King County. The property report lists each address within a specific jurisdiction. It will designate whether or not your rental is in Seattle city limits. Find the property by address, then click on the “Get Districts Report” link. Navigate to our Researching Your Landlord webpage for more information.

Q: Can a landlord end my tenancy for any reason in Seattle?

No. The Just Cause Eviction Ordinance requires that Seattle landlords have just cause reasons to terminate tenancy or evict month-to-month or other periodic tenants (tenants who pay rent weekly or twice a month). There are 18 total just causes listed in the ordinance. Just causes for eviction include rent nonpayment, noncompliance with lease terms, chronically late rent payments, and the intention of the landlord to occupy the unit themselves or rent the unit to an immediate family member.

The notice required for each just cause reason varies. Outside of city limits, there is no just cause protection for tenants, and landlords can ask tenants who are not on a term lease to vacate with only 20 days’ written notice.

The landlord cannot use just cause evictions in retaliation for a tenant asserting their rights under landlord-tenant law or calling code enforcement. Seattle tenants experiencing retaliation can contact SDCI at 206.615.0808. This does not include tenants on leases, whose tenancy ends when the lease ends unless otherwise stated in the lease.

Q: What can I do if my landlord violates the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance?

The Just Cause Eviction Ordinance is enforced by the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI). They can be reached at 206.615.0808. Some Just Cause reasons allow tenants to pursue monetary damages if the landlord doesn’t follow them, up to $2,000 in Small Claims Court. See Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, SMC 22.206.160(c), for more information, and the SDCI publication Seattle Landlord-Tenant Laws.

Q: What if I am required to vacate the unit at the end of my lease? Is that considered just cause?

Q: Why does Seattle have better protections for tenants than in other parts of Washington State? How can we get just cause protection statewide?

Tenants and tenant advocates have worked to win additional protections for Seattle renters. Laws can be very difficult to change, and housing advocates are working to win just cause and other protections for the entire state. Landlord lobbying groups are constantly working to expand the number of just cause reasons.

Your elected officials need to know how renters are being impacted by rental laws in Washington State. Call the Washington State Legislative Hotline at 1.800.562.6000 and tell them your story. You can leave a message for your state Senator, two Representatives and the Governor. You can also find email addresses and information about upcoming bills that impact renters at the Washington State Legislature website.

Also, Solid Ground’s Tenant Services Advocates work with lawmakers to protect and expand renters’ rights. Real-life stories make a significant impact on lawmakers, and we can help you share your story in order to change the laws. Help us change costly screening and application fees, wrongful evictions, discrimination and other housing barriers.

To learn more about how you can share your story, contact Tenant Services at 206.694.6748 or email tenantwa@solid-ground.org.

Q: What if my landlord gives me less than 60 days’ notice of a rent increase of 10% or more in a 12-month period?

If you have been given less than the required amount of notice, you can contest an improper rent increase. See our Sample Letter: Improper Rule Change / Fee or Rent Increase. Tenants can also file a complaint with SDCI, which has the authority to rescind an improper rent increase notice. If the landlord does not follow the requirement to provide a 60-day written notice for a rent increase of 10% or more, and instead serves a 3-Day Pay or Vacate Notice, the tenant can pay the rent increase by writing “payment under protest” on their check.

The tenant can then pursue the difference owed from the improper rent increase in Small Claims Court. It would also be a good idea for the tenant to pursue legal help through the Housing Justice Project or Catholic Community Center’s Tenant Law Center in Seattle. For more information, navigate to our Legal Assistance Guide webpage.

Some tenants choose not to pay the increase at all and just pay their regular amount. The risk in doing this is that the tenant could end up in eviction court for rent nonpayment after service of the 3-Day Pay or Vacate Notice, and they will have to explain to a judge or court commissioner why they think the rent increase is not appropriate. This can be a risky choice, because whenever a landlord files an eviction lawsuit against a tenant, it creates a permanent record of eviction even if the tenant wins the court case.

Q: What is third party billing? What are my landlord's responsibilities under the third party billing ordinance?

Third party billing is when the landlord is billed by the utility company and then passes the cost on to the tenants living in three or more rental units. Landlords must inform tenants of any new billing practices. Each bill must include the name, address and phone number of the landlord or billing company, and must detail each item for which the tenant is being charged, including service and late fees. It must also include information on beginning and ending meter readings for sub-metered units, the due date and date late fees will be applied, and past due balances.

Statements must also detail a process for disputing billings, as well as an address for submitting disputes to the landlord or company. The ordinance also limits the amount of service charges, late fees, and non-sufficient funds check fees a landlord can collect per month. Utility bills for the building must be made available to tenants on the property for up to two years.

Q: What can I do if my landlord is violating the third party billing ordinance?

Tenants who think they are being incorrectly billed must send a notice to the landlord or billing agent (whoever is identified as the responsible entity) within 30 days of the billing in question. The billing agent or landlord must respond to the concern within 30 days. If no resolution can be reached with the landlord or agent, the tenant can file a complaint with the Seattle Office of Hearing Examiner or opt to take the landlord to Small Claims Court.

Q: Under what circumstances is my landlord obligated to pay relocation assistance for me to move?

The Relocation Assistance Ordinance requires landlords to pay relocation money to tenants living on low incomes who are displaced from their units because of housing demolition, substantial rehabilitation, change of use, or removal of restrictions placed on subsidized housing. Tenants are entitled to 90 days’ notice before they have to vacate the unit for one of these purposes. The owner must obtain permits in order to perform any of the actions listed above, and must first apply for tenant relocation licenses for residents impacted. Tenants are eligible for relocation assistance if their family income is less than 50% of area median income. The amount for relocation assistance changes from time to time, but can be up to $3,000. The landlord pays half and the city pays half.

Thirty days after the landlord submits an application for a tenant relocation license, the landlord must deliver a tenant relocation information packet to the tenant. Tenants must apply for relocation assistance within 30 days after the owner delivers them a relocation information packet. Tenants do not automatically get relocation assistance just because the landlord applied for a relocation license. You must take action to apply for the relocation assistance money. Call the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) at 206.615.0808.

Q: How much relocation assistance is available?

Q: What rights do I have if my unit is being converted into a condominium?

Households earning less than 80% of area median income qualify for relocation assistance if they opt not to or cannot purchase and remain in their unit. Qualifying households receive the equivalent of three months’ rent in relocation assistance. Elderly renters or people living with disabilities may receive some additional funds to help with moving costs. The developer must pay this relocation assistance by the date the tenants vacate the units.

RCW 64.34.440(1)(b) also states the reasons that a landlord can evict a tenant during the 120-day notice period. During the notice period immediately preceding a condo conversion, tenants can be evicted for failing to pay rent, causing a waste or nuisance on the property, violating another tenant’s peaceful enjoyment of the property, or any other reason listed in RCW 59.12.030, such as failure to comply with a 10-day notice to comply or vacate.

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