Seattle renters will soon see fewer add-on charges tacked onto their monthly housing costs after Mayor Katie Wilson signed new legislation aimed at eliminating
Seattle renters will soon see fewer add-on charges tacked onto their monthly housing costs after Mayor Katie Wilson signed new legislation aimed at eliminating so-called rental “junk fees.”
Yesterday, Wilson signed the Rental Junk Fees legislation, which her office said was developed over months in close collaboration with Councilmember Dionne Foster. Wilson transmitted the legislation in July, and the Seattle City Council later passed it in an 8-0 vote.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Seattle bans rental 'junk fees,' including pet rent and package charges
City leaders described the measure as one of the strongest in the country. It eliminates rental junk fees including administrative service fees, pet rent and package fees; requires clear, upfront pricing for tenants; and strengthens enforcement intended to support a predictable and equitable rental market.
“I am pleased to be signing this legislation to eliminate rental junk fees,” Wilson said. “Junk fees have been a constant source of unnecessary stress for renters across Seattle, and their removal will provide much-needed peace of mind. This is one fewer burden for residents navigating rising costs and represents a significant step towards making Seattle an affordable city for working families and their pets.”
Wilson said she worked directly with renters while developing the legislation and heard “consistently about unexpected and rising fees that make housing even less affordable and predictable.”
Foster, who chairs the Housing, Arts, and Civil Rights Committee, sponsored the legislation.
“It was an honor to sponsor Seattle’s Rental Junk Fee Legislation, and I’m grateful to my colleagues, Mayor Wilson and her team, and the community leaders who worked collaboratively to make this consumer protection bill a reality,” Foster said. “At a time when finding and maintaining stable housing is already a significant challenge for so many families, renters shouldn’t have to navigate a maze of hidden costs just to understand what their housing will actually cost them. This legislation helps level the playing field and gives renters the transparency they need to make informed choices. Simply put: the biggest bill in your monthly budget shouldn’t come with the biggest surprise.”
Under the law, if landlords violate the junk fee ban, the City Attorney’s Office may take them to court and recover three times the amount of the illegal fees.
