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Information for Tenants Page 3 of 15 <br />Failure to carry out stated cause: If an owner termi- <br />nates a tenant because of (1) the sale of a single family <br />residence is planned, (2) the owner or a family member <br />is to move in, (3) substantial rehabilitation is planned, <br />(4) the number of residents must be reduced to eight, <br />or (5) the owner is discontinuing the use of an ADU <br />after receipt of a notice of violation, and the owner fails <br />to carry out the stated reason for terminating the ten- <br />ancy, he or she may be subject to enforcement action <br />by the City and a civil penalty of up to $2,500. <br />Private right of action for tenants: If an owner termi- <br />nates a tenant because of (1) the sale of a single family <br />residence is planned, (2) the owner or a family member <br />is to move in, or (3) substantial rehabilitation is planned, <br />and if the owner fails to carry out the stated reason for <br />terminating the tenancy, the tenant can sue the owner <br />for up to $3,000, costs, and reasonable attorney’s fees. <br />For additional information on the Just Cause Eviction <br />Ordinance, call SDCI at (206) 615-0808 or visit the <br />SDCI website at www.seattle.gov/sdci. <br />ACTIONS CONSIDERED TO BE <br />HARASSMENT OR RETALIATION <br />City law prohibits retaliatory actions against either a <br />tenant or a landlord. <br />A landlord is prohibited from harassing or retaliating <br />against a tenant by: <br />1. Changing or tampering with locks on unit doors <br />2. Removing doors, windows, fuse box, furniture or <br />other fixtures <br />3. Discontinuing utilities supplied by the owner <br />4. Removing a tenant from the premises except <br />through the formal court eviction process <br />5. Evicting, increasing rent or threatening a tenant <br />for reporting code violations to SDCI or the Police <br />Department or for exercising any legal rights aris- <br />ing out of the tenant’s occupancy <br />6. Entering a tenant’s unit, except in an emergency, <br />or except at reasonable times with the tenant’s <br />consent after giving at least two days notice, or a <br />one-day notice when showing units to prospective <br />purchasers or tenants <br />7. Prohibiting a tenant, or a tenant's authorized <br />agent who is accompanied by that tenant, from <br />distributing information in the building, posting <br />information on bulletin boards in accordance with <br />building rules, contacting other tenants, assisting <br />tenants to organize and holding meetings in com- <br />munity rooms or common areas <br />8. Increase the monthly housing costs without advance <br />written notice; 30 days for a rent increase of less than <br />10%, 60 days for a rent increase of 10% or more <br />9. Increase monthly housing costs where a housing <br />unit does not meet basic standards for habitability <br />In most instances the law assumes that a landlord is <br />retaliating if the landlord takes any of these actions <br />within 90 days after a tenant reports a violation to <br />SDCI or to the Seattle Police Department, or within <br />90 days after a governmental agency action, such as <br />making an inspection. <br />A tenant is prohibited from harassing or retaliating <br />against a landlord by: <br />1. Changing or adding locks on unit doors <br />2. Removing owner-supplied fixtures, furniture, or <br />services <br />3. Willfully damaging the building <br />For more information or to file a complaint, call SDCI <br />at (206) 615-0808. <br />DEFINITION OF TENANT <br />With the exception of the Tenant Relocation Assis- <br />tance Ordinance, a tenant is defined as a person <br />occupying or holding possession of a building or <br />premises pursuant to a rental agreement. This <br />includes residents of transient lodgings who remain <br />in residence for one month or longer. A rental agree- <br />ment may be oral or in writing. <br />DEFINITION OF HOUSING COSTS <br />Housing costs include rent and any other periodic <br />or monthly fees such as storage, parking, or utilities, <br />paid to the landlord by a tenant. <br />INCREASE IN HOUSING COSTS <br />In the City of Seattle, a landlord must give a tenant 30 <br />days’ advance written notice of an increase in housing <br />costs (rent, parking, storage, and other fees associ- <br />ated with the rental) of less than 10%; 60 days’ notice <br />is required for increases of 10% or more. An increase <br />can only begin at the beginning of rental period, typi- <br />cally at the beginning of the month. <br />A landlord cannot increase housing costs for any <br />housing unit that does not meet the minimum habit- <br />ability standards of the Residential Rental Inspection <br />Program. (http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@ <br />pan/documents/web_informational/s048492.pdf) <br />Property owners and developers cannot increase <br />housing costs to avoid applying for a Tenant Reloca- <br />tion License where a rental property is going to be <br />demolished, rehabilitated, changed in use, or where <br />use restrictions are going to be removed. (http://www. <br />seattle.gov/dpd/codesrules/commonquestions/ten- <br />antrelocation/default.htm)