Recent Changes to Seattle’s Renter’s Handbook

The City of Seattle recently updated its Renter’s Handbook.  The Handbook summarizes rental regulations and sets forth the obligations and responsibilities of both tenants and landlords.   Moreover, landlords are required to provide copies of the handbook to residential tenants.  Therefore, changes to the Handbook require both attention to the amendments and providing the updated version to tenants.  Digital copies may be provided to existing tenants.  However, when signing a lease with a new renter, a landlord must provide a hard copy of the Handbook. 

What are the new changes?  The Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance ordinance is now incorporated into the handbook.  This ordinance provides that tenants (assuming they meet certain income qualifications) whose housing costs are raised by 10% or more in a year, may be entitled to relocation assistance.  The Handbook also includes language required in all eviction notices regarding a tenant’s right to counsel and has added language stating that a landlord must have “just cause” to terminate a month-to-month lease or decline to renew an expiring lease.  Similarly, the Handbook provides that a landlord must offer tenants on a term lease a lease renewal 60-90 days before the current lease term expires unless the landlord has just cause not to do so.  The Handbook further provides for updated information on rent increases (residential tenants in Seattle are entitled to 180 days’ notice of any rent increase) and directs tenants to call the Renting in Seattle Helpline if they receive a notice of rent increase.  The Handbook now includes more information on requirements for notices based on intent to sell, specifically stating when property owners must notify Seattle Office of Housing of their intent to sell.  Finally, the Handbook provides tenants with further information on defenses to just cause evictions.  These changes reflect new ordinances that have become law in the Covid, and post Covid, Seattle rental environment. 

Please see the following link to the updated handbook: RentersHandbook_English.pdf (seattle.gov)

Landlords can contact the Rental Housing Association at (206) 283-0816 to order hard copies of the Handbook for distribution to new tenants.    

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