Redmond & Kenmore Washington Pass Additional *Renter Protections*

From Washington Multifamily Housing Association Reports

Following are changes recently enacted by the City of Redmond and City of Kenmore City Councils:

City of Redmond – Notice of “Tenant Protections”: Changes Effective July 30
On Tuesday, July 19, the Redmond City Council passed a new “Tenant Protection” Ordinance with several requirements/prohibitions. Unfortunately, the council chose an immediate effective date of July 30.

Notice of Rent Increase
Any rental agreement or renewal of a rental agreement shall state the dollar amount of the rent or rent increase and require:

• 120 days written notice for rent increases greater than (3%)
• 180 days written notice for rent increases greater than (10%)

If the rental agreement governs subsidized housing where the amount of rent is based on the income of the tenant or circumstances specific to the subsidized household, the landlord shall provide a minimum of thirty (30) days prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent to each affected tenant.

What This Means:

• Rent increases starting on July 30 cannot exceed 3% for the first 120 days and cannot exceed 10% for the first 180 days because you would be unable to comply with the new noticing requirements.
  
  
• If you planned to increase rents by more than 3% on August 1, note that you will be out of compliance. 

Move-in Fees & Security Deposits

• All move-in fees and security deposits charged by a landlord before a tenant takes possession of a dwelling unit shall not exceed one month's rent, except in subsidized housing, where the amount of rent is set based on the tenant's income.
  
  
• Tenants entering rental agreements with terms lasting six or more months may pay their move-in fees and security deposits in six equal monthly installments over the first six months of occupying the dwelling unit.
  
  
• Tenants entering rental agreements with terms lasting fewer than six months or month-to-month rental agreements may choose to pay move-in fees and security deposits in two equal monthly installments over the first two months of occupying the dwelling unit.

Late Fees

• Late fees and penalties due to nonpayment of rent charged to a tenant shall not exceed 1.5% of the tenant's monthly rent.

Social Security Number

• A landlord may ask for a social security number as part of the screening process but may not deny an applicant solely because they don’t provide one.

City of Kenmore Notice of “Just Cause & Deceptive and Unfair Practices Ordinance” -- Effective August 24
On Monday, July 25, the Kenmore City Council passed a new “just cause” ordinance with several requirements/prohibitions regarding evictions and tenancy termination. The effective date is Wednesday, August 24, 2022.

Just Cause
A landlord shall not evict or attempt to evict any tenant, refuse to continue or renew a tenancy after the expiration of the rental agreement, or otherwise terminate or attempt to terminate the tenancy of any tenant except for the just causes allowed for by the ordinance. (See section 8.[1]55.075)

Unfair or abusive acts by landlords are prohibited. 
Landlords are prohibited from unfair or abusive acts or practices or deceptive acts or practices as defined by the ordinance. (See section 8.55.078)