City of Spokane Rental Registration and Rent Increase Limitations

All landlords and property management companies must now comply with new requirements passed by the Spokane City Council governing rental registration and rent increases.

All rental properties (whether single family, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, or apartment buildings) must be registered by landlords, property managers, or agents of the owner with the City of Spokane Enforcement Department. Landlords and property managers must pay an annual permit fee of $15 per unit. For example, an owner or property manager of a 10 unit apartment building would be required to pay $150 annually if they wish to continue to operate the apartment building.

The City Code states that "no person shall make available for rent, or rent, lease, or let, to the public any residential housing unit without registering and maintaining registration of the residential rental property at which the unit is located..." Further, property owners and their managers may not increase a tenant's rent or evict a tenant if they do not have a valid business license or have not paid the per unit permit fee.

Owners and property managers must also provide the City of Spokane a copy of their business license obtained through the Washington State Department of Revenue. If an owner has a property manager with a valid business license, the owner does not also need their own business license. So, there is some reduced cost if you wish to use a property manager.

Finally, the City Code modifies the state rule allowing an owner or manager to increase a tenant's rent upon 60 days' notice. In the City of Spokane, an owner or manager must now give 120 days' written notice if they wish to increase a tenant's rent by 3% or less. If the owner or property manager wants to increase a tenant's rent by more than 3%, they must give 180 days' written notice.