The Seattle City Council unanimously passed legislation sponsored by Mayor Katie Wilson that will end “junk fees,” the add-on fees charged to rental housing tenants.
King5.com reports the new law goes into effect on July 1, 2027, and will prevent landlords from charging extra monthly fees for pets, access to common spaces, mail collection, payment through non-preferred methods such as checks, and changes of tenancy. Landlords will also be mandated to offer transparent pricing upfront for tenants.
The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections will be tasked with investigating rental agreement violations, and a process will be set up to deal with landlords who violate the new law.
Other fees tied to some administrative services – such as pet damage deposits, application screenings, insufficient payments, and tenant liability for defaulting on rent or abandoning the unit – will remain intact.
“This is a major step forward in making Seattle an affordable city for working families and their pets,” said Wilson, whose office noted that more than half of Seattle residents are renters and 48% are cost burdened.
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