Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20 § 59.20.370
Landlord -- Prohibition on certain rent increases -- Notice -- Enforcement -- Penalties.
Operative Text
(1) Except as authorized by an exemption under RCW 59.20.380 and as provided in RCW 59.20.060 (2)(c), a landlord may not increase the rent for any type of tenancy, regardless of whether the tenancy is month-to-month or for a term greater than month-to-month: (a) During the first 12 months after the tenancy begins; and (b) During any 12-month period of the tenancy, in an amount greater than five percent. (2) If a landlord increases the rent above the amount allowed in subsection (1) of this section as authorized by an exemption under RCW 59.20.380 , the landlord must include facts supporting any claimed exemptions in the written notice of the rent increase. Notice must comply with this section, RCW 59.20.390 , 59.20.090 (2), and be served in accordance with RCW 59.20.150 . (3) If a landlord increases rent above the amount allowed in subsection (1) of this section and the increase is not authorized by an exemption under RCW 59.20.380 , the tenant must offer the landlord an opportunity to cure the unauthorized increase by providing the landlord with a written demand to reduce the increase to an amount that complies with the limit created in this section. In addition to any other remedies or relief available under this chapter or other law, the tenant may terminate the rental agreement at any time prior to the effective date of the increase by providing the landlord with written notice at least 30 days before terminating the rental agreement. If a tenant terminates a rental agreement under this subsection, the tenant owes rent for the full month in which the tenant vacates the manufactured/mobile home lot. A landlord may not charge a tenant any fines or fees for terminating a rental agreement under this subsection. (4)(a) A tenant or the attorney general may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to enforce compliance with this section or RCW 59.20.380 , 59.20.390 , 59.20.060 , or 59.20.170 . If the court finds that a landlord violated any of the laws listed in this subsection, the court shall award the following damages to the tenant and attorneys' fees and costs to the tenant who brings the action or the attorney general: (i) Damages in the amount of any excess rent, fees, or other costs paid by the tenant; (ii) Damages in an amount of up to three months of any unlawful rent, fees, or other costs charged by the landlord; and (iii) Reasonable attorneys' fees and costs incurred in bringing the action. (b) The attorney general may bring an action under this subsection notwithstanding whether the tenant has offered the landlord an opportunity to cure, and may recover civil penalties of not more than $7,500 for each violation in addition to other remedies provided by this subsection. The attorney general may issue written civil investigative demands for pertinent documents, answers to written interrogatories, or oral testimony as required to investigate or bring an action under this subsection. (5) The remedies provided by this section are in addition to any other remedies provided by law. (6) A landlord may not report a tenant to a tenant screening service provider for failure to pay the portion of the tenant's rent that was unlawfully increased in violation of this section.
Washington's Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20.370 limits rent increases in manufactured/mobile home tenancies in two key ways: no rent increase is permitted during the first 12 months of a tenancy, and after that, increases are capped at five percent within any 12-month period. Exemptions exist under RCW 59.20.380, but a landlord relying on an exemption must include supporting facts in the written notice. Violations can result in court-ordered damages, including repayment of excess rent, up to three months of unlawfully charged rent, and attorneys' fees, and the state attorney general may also pursue civil penalties of up to $7,500 per violation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20.370, compliant operators in manufactured/mobile home communities generally refrain from raising rent during the first year of a tenancy and keep any subsequent annual increases at or below five percent. When a landlord believes an exemption under RCW 59.20.380 applies, the written rent-increase notice typically includes the specific facts supporting that exemption and is served in the manner required by RCW 59.20.150. Operators are also aware that charging a tenant for unlawfully increased rent—or reporting a tenant to a screening service for nonpayment of an unlawful increase—can expose them to significant court-ordered damages and attorney general enforcement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20.370 gives manufactured/mobile home tenants the right to challenge a rent increase that exceeds the five-percent annual cap or that occurs within the first 12 months of tenancy. If a tenant believes an increase is unauthorized, the statute establishes a process that begins with a written demand to the landlord to cure the violation, and also allows the tenant to terminate the rental agreement before the increase takes effect with at least 30 days' written notice, without being charged fees for doing so. Tenants may bring a court action to recover excess rent paid, up to three months of unlawfully charged rent, and attorneys' fees, and may also contact the Washington State Attorney General's office, which has independent authority to investigate and enforce this section.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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