Graph from Seattle Times depicting rent growth in the Seattle-area since 1995, with a 6% increase since last year.
Have you received a notice of a rent increase in the last year? If you are renting in Washington state, especially in a major urban area such as Seattle, it’s likely that you’ve seen an increase in your housing costs over the past year.
We’ve heard from many people on the Tenant Services Hotline that rent is increasing significantly, and even doubling in some parts of the state. Imagine paying $700 for a one-bedroom apartment in August, and then being asked to pay $1,400 for that same apartment in September!
A recent Seattle Times article states that rents in Seattle increased nearly 6% in the past year – more than any other major U.S. city included in the study. Now the average rate for a one-bedroom apartment is nearly $1,200 a month.
The soaring cost of housing is also drawing attention to the shortage of affordable housing for families, individuals and students, who are forced to spend the majority of their paychecks on housing costs alone.
With the trend in major rent increases, we thought it would be a good time to review the laws and requirements for rent increases and rule changes.
When can the landlord increase my rent? What kind of notice is required?
The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act in Washington State has specific laws that address how much notice landlords must give tenants before increasing the rent or making changes to the policies or rules included in a rental agreement. The section of the landlord-tenant laws that address rule changes or rent increases is RCW 59.18.140.
Tenants who have a term lease for a fixed amount of time – for example, January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013 – can only be issued a rent increase or change to the rental agreement at the end of the lease period, in our example, after December 31.
Tenants who have a month-to-month agreement have the right to at least 30 days’ written notice before the rent increase goes into effect. To increase the rent effective on February 1, landlords should give tenants written notice on or before January 1. The idea is that tenants could still give at least 20 days’ notice – by January 11 – in order to end the rental agreement and move out if they are unable to pay the increased amount.
Within Seattle city limits, there are additional protections through the Rental Agreement Regulation, which requires Seattle landlords to provide 60 days’ written notice if the rent increase is more than 10% over a 12-month period. All of the state laws about notice requirements still apply in Seattle as well. This is just an additional protection.
Is there a limit or maximum amount a landlord can raise the rent?
There is NO rent control in Washington state, therefore there is not a cap or limit to the number of times a landlord can raise the rent in a year (RCW 35.21.830). Similarly, there is no maximum dollar amount or percent increase limit for a rent increase.
What can I do if the landlord does not provide me the correct amount of notice to increase my rent?
If landlords do not provide at least 30 days’ notice before the increase is to take effect, or if they increase your rent in the middle of a rental period, you may want to address the issue in writing so you are not held responsible for paying the increased amount until you’ve received the correct notice required by law. We have a Sample Letter that may be helpful in starting that conversation with landlords.
Keeping a paper trail of documentation is a good idea during this process. If you pay the rent increase to avoid having the landlord illegally evict you for unpaid rent, then you still have options for later recovering that month’s increase where correct notice was not provided. Some tenants have used Small Claims Court to sue for the money paid for a rent increase where the landlord did not provide the correct 30 days’ notice or tried to increase the rent in the middle of a lease period.
If you think the rent increase was given out of retaliation – for example, you asserted your rights by asking that the landlord make a repair, and the landlord responded by giving you a rent increase – then you may want to speak to an attorney to see what your options are. See our Legal Assistance Guide webpage for more information.
Where can I find other resources about rent increases and rule changes?
You can check out our Rental Agreements webpage for more information and FAQs. The City of Seattle also has information about the Rental Agreement Regulation for Seattle residents. And if you would like to read more about the trend in rapidly rising rent costs, here are a few of the recent articles to get you started:
- Seattle Times: Rent increases here lead the nation, study finds
- KOMO News: Ballard apartment residents form union to fight rising rents
- KUOW: Rents Rising In Seattle And Portland As Wages Stay Flat
- Capitol Hill Seattle Blog: Rent control debate surfaces as rents in Capitol Hill continue to rise
The tenant information contained in this article or linked to the Solid Ground Tenant Services website is for informational purposes only. Solid Ground makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to its website. Solid Ground cannot act as your attorney. Solid Ground makes no representations, expressed or implied, that the information contained in or linked to its website can or will be used or interpreted in any particular way by any governmental agency or court. As legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and laws are constantly changing, nothing provided here should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel. Solid Ground Tenant Counselors offer these tenant tips as generalized information for renters. People with specific questions should call our Tenant Services hotline at 206.694.6767 Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays between 10:30am and 4:30pm.
Gina Gregg says
I HAVE MOLD IN my apartment ALL OVER. I’M SICK ALL THE TIME. PLEASE HELP ME. THEY WON’T DO ANYTHING.
Mike Buchman says
Call our Tenant Services Hotline, 206.694.6767 ~ TTY: 7.1.1. Leave a message and a counselor will get back to you! The line is message-only and currently open M, W & Th, 10:30am – 1:30pm.
antonio cruz says
Hi there.. I have received maybe around 5 to 6 notices of rent increase in these past 2 to 3 yr. At these apartments am at. I moved out here in Olympia Washington in 2009. I started paying $625 in 2009 now am at $796. Just got another notice today 8/29/17. Rent increase affective by October of this year.. I feel that is a discrimination act on me being Hispanic. I was born in California raised about all my life till 2009 when I moved out here to Lacey Washington. How should I go about this. Any advice is very helpful. Thanks
Mike Buchman says
Hi Antonio:
Call our Tenant Services Hotline, 206.694.6767 ~ TTY: 7.1.1. Leave a message and a counselor will get back to you! The line is message-only and currently open M, W & Th, 10:30am – 1:30pm. THanks, sorry we can’t provide advice through the website…
Mike
lacie f buzbee says
I have lived in my apartment for a year and a half. I had a lease for the first six months and after that it turned into a month to month lease; that was with my previous landlord. Someone bought our complex at the beginning of august and didnt have us sign a new lease…only fill out contact information. He came around today and gave us a paper stating that the rent is going from $525 to $695 beginning October 1. That is a 30% increase, is that legal?
Floren says
Í have leave in these apt. For 4 years my rent was raise From 760 to 860 per month.
The owners Want to re model the Apts. So they raising the rent to high to force tenants to move out
Is this legal
Liz Reed Hawk says
Hi Floren, please call our Tenant Services message-only line 206.694.6767 with your question, and a Tenant Counselor will get back to you. (Current message line open hours are: M & Th, 10:30am – 1:30pm.) Thanks!
Bridgett Rambow says
Hi Liz, I also am curiouse after Ive been in my apartment for 9 year s and was put into a position to remain on a month to month lease that my rent went from 725.00 up to 1,125.00. How is this possible?
Mike Buchman says
As this post reminds us, there is NO rent control in Washington State, therefore there is not a cap or limit to the number of times a landlord can raise the rent in a year (RCW 35.21.830). Similarly, there is no maximum dollar amount or percent increase limit for a rent increase.
JMC says
Why don’t we have rent control in Washington, and why is the law different in Seattle compared to Vancouver, WA? My rental contract stated that at the end of my year lease, if I stayed my rent would increase 5%, which would have been around $35, I was totally prepared for that increase, as I had not intentions of moving. My management company sold the building I live in, and within the same month of purchase, my rent went from $790 for 525 square foot apartment with no luxuries, to $929, almost an 18% increase, that I was not prepared for, cant afford to move again, and now I can pay rent but wont have any extra for gas to get to and from work, a proper diet; as I am diabetic, laundry money to wash my clothes. It should be standard rule no more than 10% once a year. It should also be standard for the whole state that over 10% requires 60 days, instead we got 45 with the wrong rental increase start date, stuck on our doors, and then we had one mailed with the actual start date of increase whited out and hand written in, and envelopes were mailed already ripped open and tapped shut, but mine was wide open. They even went as far as giving us a reason for the increase, “it cost a lot to run this type of business, so we are having to increase your rent”, yet no one has came and kept up the grounds, the laundry machines are not maintained, and the laundry room is filthy, no one to my knowledge has been given any rule or regulations as to how the new management wants things done except for: you cant pay rent with personal checks. That is all I know and the few neighbors I spoke to know. Is there anything we can do? We live in a low income area, the type of neighborhood where people leave furniture on the corner for people to grab for free if they want.
Liz Reed Hawk says
Hi JMC, unfortunately we cannot respond to tenant questions online. Please call our Tenant Services message-only line (206.694.6767) with your questions, and a Tenant Counselor will get back to you. (Current message line open hours are: M & Th, 10:30am – 1:30pm.) Thanks!
Uptown Apartments says
Good read. Thanks for sharing this article and keep up the great work.
lorinda says
Hi I live in a duplex that sold closing was may 24 ive been paying 1025 mo ive been offered to stay but a rent in crease takes effect in 30 days to 1650 + utilities if I choose to do another lease that would go down a hundred dollars this doesn’t seem fair sincerely
Mike Buchman says
Hi Lorinda: Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to respond to specific questions through our website. You can call our TENANT SERVICES MESSAGE HOTLINE: 206.694.6767 | TTY: 7.1.1
This is a message-only line, currently open M & Th, 10:30am – 1:30pm. Someone will call you back. Thanks.
Christine says
I am on Social Security disability or SSA. Is there a limitation on how much rent can be charged for people who are on disability and have limited income?
Jalayna Carter says
Hi Christine, Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to respond to specific questions through our website. You can call our TENANT SERVICES MESSAGE HOTLINE: 206.694.6767 | TTY: 7.1.1
This is a message-only line, currently open M & Th, 10:30am – 1:30pm. Someone will call you back. Thanks.
Colleen Nannie says
We just had a meeting with the DNDA, porfolio management the other day. All some of us did was mention the large rent increase last year and now we all got notices the next day that it will go up again in October to $1313.00 for some of us it is nearly a $500.00 increase from our recent rent. I know that not all of us can afford the increase. I have a year to year leash and I’m pretty sure they can not do that to me, since I did sign a leash, but I feel for the others. What can I do? Please help us. I reside in Seattle, Washington.
Brian a Hoag says
My land lord just sent out a notice that he is increasing my rent nov.1st 2020 and told me I needed to sign new lease ny oct.1st. Which I got in the mail that day. Can a land lord do this while cvoid is going on? I live in Washington state, not sure if this is legal or not
Liz Reed Hawk says
Hi Brian, we’re sorry to hear about your situation. While we cannot respond to tenant questions via the blog, Solid Ground’s Tenant Counselors can provide advice on Washington state landlord/tenant law via phone. Please call our Tenant Services message-only line at 206.694.6767 during open hours (M & Th, 10:30am – 1:30pm, PT) with your questions, and they will respond as soon as possible.