Can apartment landlords in seattle raise rent or add on charges during an apartment lease??

[elkotronics]

Thats what I planned to tell my landlord.

Excellent, annonymous0381. Carry that plan out!

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by annonymous0381

Thats what I planned to tell my landlord.

The other thing you could tell him is that the $100 rent hike he gave you a few months ago should cover the garbage costs pretty well.



A jerk landlord like this is likely to find a way to put some screws on you, though, OP. You have your rights, but he could find ways to make life miserable for you. Then, you'll REALLY need a lawyer! Brace yourself for that eventuality.

[annonymous0381]

I think that in august 2018 i should find another place to live. This landlord is too greedy.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by annonymous0381

I think that in august 2018 i should find another place to live. This landlord is too greedy.

Well, to give him the benefit of the doubt--and you did live there for years without a rent raise, didn't you?--maybe taxes have gone up, and neglected maintenance issues are adding up. It sounds like he raised everyone's rent, then later realized it's not enough to cover everything that needs to be done. Maybe there are plumbing issues, and a new roof is needed, or an exterior paint job, or whatever. Big-ticket items.

Still, that's not the tenants' fault; he should have figured out how to cover costs as he went along, rather than stick everyone with basically two rent hikes within a year. He probably should have been gradually hiking the rent, by, say, $50 or some equivalent percent of a unit's rent, every couple of years. If he's coming out short on his maintenance expenses, he should take out a loan. This is worrisome; it makes you wonder how far he'll have to go, in terms of weird rent hikes, to break even on whatever these costs are, that are causing him to do this.

BTW, OP, you probably know by now--save all correspondence! Document issues. Didn't you have a major plumbing issue that went months, even close to a year?? without resolution? Write down the dates of onset of the problem, your attempts to get resolution, and the final resolution date. If (probably: "when") push comes to shove, and you start getting harassed for your refusal to sign off on the new increase, you'll have to contact the tenants' organization, and you may have to contact the State Attorney General. (This is a friend of mine's go-to strategy in Seattle/Everett, and it works!) So collect and organize your records. There could be stormy seas ahead. It's a long way 'til next August.

[DutchessCottonPuff]

I hear you on on rent raising and garband issues although I was pushed to Tacoma . My lease ends July 2018 and I KNOW I am leaving but for right now lol OMG the garbage issue here is unbelievable and I live in a decent place -not upscale -not trash - just normal and a few months ago they got rid of ALL THE COMPACTORS here on the place except one down from my post fire unit ( if you were not here , my old unit here at same complex and its building were completely destroyed by a fire a floor up from me July 4th .) .

This was to start a trash valet service that they charge 40.00 a month for and these folks were to carry it away ....... if you want to call 2 tweakers in a half ton pick up for 7 HUNDRED units a valet well ok ...

This soon has gone to h&#* in a handbasket . They quit . This past week - and for the entire month of December all 700 units will have to use the ONE dumpster/compactor thing maybe 100 ft from my apt . I am just dreading this . They did say they would refund my 40.00 for the trouble . People are crazy . FWIW I did call both the City of Tacoma and the Pierce Co Health Dept and they both told me they do not have a dept that handles anything like that but would forward my email to all the different depts.. nothing .

[annonymous0381]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Well, to give him the benefit of the doubt--and you did live there for years without a rent raise, didn't you?--maybe taxes have gone up, and neglected maintenance issues are adding up. It sounds like he raised everyone's rent, then later realized it's not enough to cover everything that needs to be done. Maybe there are plumbing issues, and a new roof is needed, or an exterior paint job, or whatever. Big-ticket items.

Still, that's not the tenants' fault; he should have figured out how to cover costs as he went along, rather than stick everyone with basically two rent hikes within a year. He probably should have been gradually hiking the rent, by, say, $50 or some equivalent percent of a unit's rent, every couple of years. If he's coming out short on his maintenance expenses, he should take out a loan. This is worrisome; it makes you wonder how far he'll have to go, in terms of weird rent hikes, to break even on whatever these costs are, that are causing him to do this.

BTW, OP, you probably know by now--save all correspondence! Document issues. Didn't you have a major plumbing issue that went months, even close to a year?? without resolution? Write down the dates of onset of the problem, your attempts to get resolution, and the final resolution date. If (probably: "when") push comes to shove, and you start getting harassed for your refusal to sign off on the new increase, you'll have to contact the tenants' organization, and you may have to contact the State Attorney General. (This is a friend of mine's go-to strategy in Seattle/Everett, and it works!) So collect and organize your records. There could be stormy seas ahead. It's a long way 'til next August.

I have everything documented and saved.

[Hockeygirl063]

If you didn't bother to read the new lease before signing then you are dumb and deserve to be bilked. It has to say on the lease what the rent is. I have lived in this place over 11 years and every time we renewed our lease the rent went up but we knew it because we read the entire document before we signed it. if he raised it after you signed then sue him because he is in a breech of contract.

The last time we renewed which was in August they did not raise it. But this place sucks. We have to pay for garbage, water and sewer. That's about $67 a month. It is billed through a third party company. Of course here in PDX area our rents are not as bad as in Seattle but we are getting up there.

I can say this management company is pretty good, they don't try to pull any fast ones. Sometimes slow with maintenance. The last place we lived we had a slum lord. The only reason we even stayed was at that time the rent was so cheap and we were really getting established as far as work. We basically could not afford anything nicer. We had a roommate who moved back to LA and the house we were renting was far too expensive for the two of us. i did not want to have another roomate but we did consider it.

Good Luck hope your jerky landlord doesn't do too much to you.

[elkotronics]

I think that in august 2018 i should find another place to live. This landlord is too greedy.

Shop carefully, annonymous0381. I think you will, that's the trouble with Seattle, buying a house or condo there has become out of this world nuts for prices. But shop for another apartment carefully and you'll be all right.

[annonymous0381]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

I think that in august 2018 i should find another place to live. This landlord is too greedy.

Shop carefully, annonymous0381. I think you will, that's the trouble with Seattle, buying a house or condo there has become out of this world nuts for prices. But shop for another apartment carefully and you'll be all right.

Some apartment buildings are better than others.

[elkotronics]

Some apartment buildings are better than others.

Exactly. Comparison shop and don't get dead-set on any one apartment before hand. You'll find a good one!