Seattle Rental Inspection

ALL landlords within Seattle city limits MUST register their rental properties (single family, condos or apartment buildings) with the city by 12/31/16.  You can register at www.seattle.gov/RRIO

The City will be requiring property inspections every 5-10 years and will make random selections monthly.  If you have been selected, we can recommend an inspector and answer any questions you or your tenant might have.

OTHER CHANGES

• The City now prohibits increasing rent if a property fails to comply with the RRIO.
• The City has prohibited special deals or concessions for tenants based on where they work.
• The City approved a new law outlawing housing discrimination based on source of income.
• When selling or reoccupying a property, landlords MUST give 90 days notice (formerly 60 and 20 days), but landlords may request a hardship exception to shorten the notice period in certain circumstances.  
• The time in which landlords need to refund a tenant’s security deposit is 21 days from the date the tenant surrenders possession, unless otherwise stated in a lease agreed upon prior to 2016 
• Effective January 2017, landlords will need to accept applicants on a  “first come, first serve” basis.  All information regarding minimum screening criteria will need to be disclosed prior to accepting applications and they must be screened in the order in which they have been received. 

Happy Investing!