All Seattle residential rent increases require 180 days’ notice and must have specific, mandated right-to-counsel language. This is true regardless of the rent increase amount. There are additional rules if the rent increase is ten percent or more.
Rent increases ≥ 10%
If the rent increase equals or exceeds ten percent (or cumulatively in the previous twelve months), the landlord must also serve the Economic Displacement and Relocation Assistance (EDRA) posted by the City on its website. The notice of rent increase and EDRA notice must be served either personally or by both regular and first-class mail.
Low-income tenants who vacate the rental, or give notice of their intent to vacate, may be eligible for relocation assistance of three months’ rent. The City will pay the tenant, and the owner must reimburse the City. The owner may appeal the decision to approve relocation assistance or the calculation of the amount due. The owner may seek a refund from the City if the tenant rescinds the notice to vacate or fails to vacate. The City may issue citations for violations of the EDRA law. Penalties include $1,000 for the first violation and $2,000 for each subsequent violation within a five-year period.
State rent increase cap
State law caps rent increases at 7% plus the Consumer Price Index or 10%, whichever is less. The Seattle EDRA applies if the rent increase equals 10%, so if the state law cap is 10% in a given year, a Seattle landlord who increases by exactly 10% would still have to comply with the EDRA requirements. It would be wiser to stay below the 10% threshold to avoid legal issues.
The state rent control law has various exemptions. These are exemptions from the state law, not local laws. So, even if the landlord were exempt under state law, the landlord would have still have to comply with all applicable Seattle requirements.