Rents are becoming very expensive in some areas, so states are making rent control laws to help keep prices affordable for regular people. However, it still varies greatly from state to state. Let’s take a look at the laws about increasing rent in Washington state and what you should know about them.
How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Washington?
In Washington State, rent control is not allowed. This means that landlords can increase the rent by any amount if there are tenants willing to pay. Washington is a state that has a law against rent control. This means that cities and counties in Washington are not allowed to make their own rules about how much landlords can increase rent. However, landlords have to follow the terms that are agreed upon in the lease and must keep their rental rates similar to the market rates in order to attract tenants who are willing to pay.
Washington Rent Control Exemptions
Even though rent control is not allowed in Washington, there are federal housing laws that take precedence over certain actions. One of these laws is the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to discriminate in housing markets. The rent increase cannot be caused by any dislike towards the tenant based on their race, nationality, origin, age, family status, or disability. Retaliating against someone is not allowed. For example, if a tenant reports a code violation to their landlord, the landlord cannot increase the rent as a way to get back at them.
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Notice Period Required Before Raising Rent in Washington
Landlords are required by state law to give tenants a minimum of 60 days’ notice before increasing the rent. However, the new rule will only start to apply from the first complete month after the information is given. If your landlord tells you that the rent will go up on January 15th and rent is normally due on the first of the month, you won’t have to pay the higher amount until April 1st. But it’s your responsibility to inform your landlord if they try to increase the rent earlier. Paying the increased amount without proper notice means you accept the increase.
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Limits on Additional Fees
The state does not have a limit on how much rent can be increased, but they do have guidelines for other costs like late fees and bounced check fees. The maximum amount for late payments is either $20 or 20% of the total monthly rent, whichever is higher and reasonable. However, the lease should clearly state the specific amounts the landlord will charge for late fees and how many days will be considered late. Landlords can charge a fee of 12% of the monthly rent or up to $40 if a check bounces and the rent is unpaid for 15 days or more. This information should also be clearly mentioned in the lease agreement.
Conclusion
Rent control laws in Washington state allow landlords to increase rent by any amount if tenants are willing to pay. However, federal housing laws, such as the Fair Housing Act, take precedence over certain actions. Landlords must give tenants a minimum of 60 days’ notice before raising rent. The state does not have a limit on additional fees, but guidelines for late fees and bounced check fees should be clearly stated in the lease agreement.
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