Washington State Lawmakers Pass Statewide Rent Stabilization Legislation

(May 2, 2025) - On April 27, 2025, the Washington state Legislature passed HB 1217, the Housing Stability Act, which caps rent increases for most single-family and multi-family landlords and mandates specific notice requirements for rent increases that landlords must comply with to increase rents. The bill will take effect upon the Governor’s signature or May 20, 2025.

Below is a summary of key provisions in the bill.

Landlords cannot raise rents in the first year of a tenancy.
Any subsequent rent increase cannot exceed seven percent plus the consumer price index or 10 percent, whichever is lower.
Landlords cannot impose more burdensome conditions on a month-to-month lease or charge a tenant more than a five-percent difference in rent for different lease terms. This restriction reduces the premium rents charged on month-to-month leases or leases for short-term duration.
Tenants can terminate the lease due to a rental increase.
The bill authorizes a civil cause of action by a resident or the Washington Attorney General for violating the rent increase law. If the action is successful, the resident is entitled to recover actual damages, up to three months' rent, and attorneys’ fees and costs. The AG action is limited to recovering up to $7,500 per violation.
Single-family rentals (SFRs) owned by REITs, corporations, or LLCs where at least one member is a corporation are not exempt from the new restrictions.
New construction rentals are exempt for twelve years after completion.
Notice of rent increases must comply with new statutory notice and service provisions as detailed in the legislation.
A landlord must provide written notice as outlined explicitly in the law before implementing any rent increase to the tenant within 90 days before completion of the term, down from the original proposal of 180 days considered by the Legislature.
Landlords are not restricted in setting rents at the beginning of a new tenancy.

For more information about HB 1217, contact the author of this alert. Visit Lewis Brisbois' Corporate Landlord Practice page to learn more about our capabilities in this area.

Author:

Christine Tenley, Partner and Co-Chair of Corporate Landlord Practice