Are landlords allowed to raise rental prices in violation of Fair Housing Law?

The Fair Housing Law in Washington is designed to protect tenants from any form of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. This law applies to almost all residential rental housing. Under Fair Housing Law, landlords are not allowed to raise rental prices in violation of the law. This means that landlords cannot charge different prices to different people based on the characteristics outlined in Fair Housing Law. For example, landlords cannot charge higher or lower rental rates to people of different races or ages. Nor can they raise rental prices to discriminate against a tenant who has a disability. It is important to note that, as a general rule, landlords can raise rental prices as long as the increases are applied equally across all tenants. However, special rules apply if a rent-controlled unit is subject to a local law that requires a landlord to obtain approval for a rent increase. In those cases, landlords must wait for approval before increasing the rent. While landlords cannot raise rental prices in violation of Fair Housing Law, tenants should also be careful to not be charged an excessive rent. If a tenant believes that the rent charged is too high based on the type of rental unit and its local market value, they should contact the local housing authority to make a complaint.

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Are landlords allowed to raise rental prices in violation of Fair Housing Law?

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