Attorney General Nick Brown is taking action to enforce Washington's new rent stabilization legislation, securing refunds for tenants who were overcharged. In what marks the inaugural enforcement initiative under the recent housing law, his office announced resolutions with multiple landlords around the state who had issued unlawful rent increase notices. These landlords, from locations such as Bothell and Vancouver, will now be retracting these notices and providing refunds, as reported in a news release published on the Washington Attorney General's official website.
Those filings were placed in Superior Court across five counties. To swiftly address the housing affordability hardships statewide, Brown is spearheading efforts to ensure landlords adhere to the new limits. "Our office will do all it can to address the housing challenges impacting Washingtonians across the state," Brown stated, according to the Attorney General's Office News Release. More than 250 households stand to benefit from the recent actions, as the law caps rent increases at 10% or 7% plus CPI, whichever is higher, for residential properties, and at 5% for manufactured or mobile homes.
The crackdown follows the May 7 enactment of HB 1217, which drew bipartisan support and quickly went into effect. Designed to limit runaway rental costs and provide relief, the law has garnered praise from lawmakers such as Sen. Emily Alvarado and Rep. Strom Peterson. "This important new law is already working to limit excessive rent hikes and bring relief to working families and seniors across the state," Sen. Alvarado said in the AG's news release. Rep. Peterson highlighted the cooperative nature of the resolutions, stating, "The landlords made mistakes but were able to work with the Attorney General’s Office to make it right," as relayed in the same announcement.
With housing affordability in crisis, such enforcement efforts are deemed essential to keep rents in check and protect vulnerable populations. Renters who find themselves potentially overcharged are encouraged to file a complaint with the AG's Office and can proactively take steps to safeguard their rights, including initiating legal action. Comprehensive details on the rent stabilization statutes and tenant protections are available on the AGO's website, where Assistant Attorney General Lauren Holzer and her Consumer Protection Division are leading the charge.
As part of the resolutions, affected tenants expressed their gratitude, with one noting the positive impact of the rent cap. "Thought you might be interested in the letter we received today with the good news our space rent is capped at 5%,” one tenant expressed, as mentioned in the AG's news release.
