The Seattle City Council is prepared to vote Tuesday afternoon on legislation championed by Mayor Katie Wilson hoped to reduce so-called “junk fees” on renters in the city.
The rental fee regulations bill was passed out of committee last week with a few tweaks to the mayor’s plan including an update that would require landlords who offer bundled optional goods/services like a tech fee bundling cable and internet to make each component available individually. Another would clarify how total monthly costs must be advertised and listed, requiring landlords to include estimated or 12-month average utility and variable costs.
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Another vote softened enforcement, giving city officials the discretion to seek voluntary compliance from landlords before issuing formal citations or penalties while a final amendment introduced an option for a “cure” — Under the proposal, if a landlord receives written notice of a violation and repays the tenant 100% of the illegal fee/security deposit plus interest and pays a penalty of double the illegal fee/deposit within 30 days, the tenant cannot pursue a private lawsuit for that violation.
CHS reported here on the Wilson administration and City Councilmember Dionne Foster proposal that would create a new regulatory fee on rental units to fund a team at City Hall to enforce restrictions on certain types of fees and transparency from landlords.
The mayor and proponents say the proposal will create more fair and predictable costs for renters with the potential to eliminate an unexpected 10% to 30% to a renter’s total monthly costs.
Tuesday, the full council will consider the bill along with another set of amendments that would adjust enforcement and cure procedures for landlords, modifies fee prohibitions regarding pets and renters insurance, and a proposal from Councilmember Bob Kettle that removes the term “junk” from the bill’s recitals.
The effort comes after the Wilson administration convened a campaign of public forums and a renter survey to take on junk fees as part of the mayor’s first major initiatives as she began her first term early this year.
