What is the law regarding rent increases?

In Washington, the law regarding rent increases depends on the type of tenancy the tenant has, whether it is a month-to-month tenancy or a fixed-term tenancy. For month-to-month tenancies, landlords must give tenants advance notice before increasing the rent. This notice must usually be given at least 20 days before the rent increase is set to take effect. The landlord is not allowed to increase the rent without providing this notice to the tenant. For fixed-term tenancies, the landlord must state in the lease the allowable percentage by which the rent can be increased, and must provide written notice of the increase at least 20 days prior to the increase. The written notice must include the amount of the increase, the effective date of the increase, and the reason for the increase. Unless the tenant agrees to the increase, the landlord cannot increase the rent above the allowable percentage stated in the lease. In both month-to-month and fixed-term tenancies, landlords are also not allowed to increase rent as an act of retaliation against tenants. If a tenant believes the rent increase is unjustifiable or not in compliance with the law, they should contact a tenant-rights organization or lawyer for legal help.

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What is the law regarding rent increases?

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