2023 Rent Increase Notification FAQs

Page last updated on:

September 3, 2026

The Bellingham City Council gave final approval on March 13, 2023, to ordinance 2023-03-007, which requires 120 days advance notice before any rent increases for residential units. The ordinance took effect March 28, 2023. The ordinance was updated for clarity and given final approval on August 24, 2026. The updates will take effect on September 7, 2026.

This change is in response to community concerns about housing affordability in general, and particular concerns about rent increases occurring in Bellingham’s extremely tight rental market. The purpose of this ordinance is to provide more time for renters to plan for rent increases or explore different housing options. For more information, see the City’s news release about the change in notification requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

If a landlord provided at least 60 days’ notice of a rent increase prior to the effective date of the ordinance then they are in compliance with current regulations. After the effective date, landlords will need to provide 120 days’ notice prior to increasing rent.

In the November 2023 general election, Bellingham voters approved citizen-led Initiative 2023-02 Rental Relocation Assistance Program for Tenants. The initiative effective date is January 27, 2024 (60 calendar days after the canvassing board certified the election results).

According to the ordinance, the City of Bellingham is not designated to enforce requirements stated in the initiative. However, pursuant to Section 4, landlords are required to provide notice to the City of:

All requests for relocation assistance, within 30 days of receipt of such notices; and
All payments of relocation assistance within 30 days of making such payments.

Notices should be emailed to rentals@cob.org, or mailed/delivered to the Rental Registration team at City Hall, 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham WA 98225.

For more details on this initiative, including enforcement information, please refer to the ordinance (page 5 of the pdf).

Notice of increase in periodic or monthly housing costs shall be delivered in a manner consistent with RCW 59.18.140 to each affected tenant and should be in a form substantially the same as the form outlined under RCW 59.18.720.

A sample form can be found here: NJP Housing 642 Rent and Fee Increase Notice

While the City does not limit the number of times landlords may increase rent for their tenants, the State of Washington does. Click here for more information: Tenants’ rights: While you are renting | Washington Law Help

While the City requires rental relocation assistance if a landlord chooses to increase a tenant’s rent more than 8 percent or more over a rolling 12-month period (in accordance with BMC 6.14.020), the State of Washington does regulate when and how much a landlord is allowed to raise rents. For more information visit WashingtonLawHelp.

Nothing in the ordinance prevents landlords from increasing rent, and the City is prohibited under state law from regulating rent levels. The notification requirement is intended to provide tenants more time to plan for and respond to increases in their rent.

The ordinance requires 120 days’ notice and is not tied to the monthly calendar.

The City has established a greater notification requirement for rental increases under BMC 6.12 than required by the state’s Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18). Tenants who believe the notice provisions have been violated should consult with an attorney of their choice about how best to protect their rights.

While the City does not provide any direct services to tenants, such as legal advice or other assistance, there are useful resources available in our community and online. For more information about tenants’ rights, responsibilities and where to seek assistance, visit the City’s Tenant Resouces page.

Under RCW 59.18.140 as well as current Federal law, if the rental agreement covers a subsidized tenancy where the amount of rent is based on the income of the tenant, or on other circumstances specific to the household, a landlord is required to provide a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent. This exception does not apply to private units paid for with vouchers, such as a housing choice voucher.

Frequently Asked Questions

I gave notice to my tenants of a rent increase before March 28, 2023. Does ordinance 2023-03-07 affect me?

What about Initiative 2023-02 Rental Relocation Assistance Program for Tenants?

What form of notice should a rental owner provide?

How often are rent increases allowed in Bellingham?

I’m a renter and cannot afford these large increases in rent. Why doesn’t the City include a limit on the amount of rent increases?

I’m a landlord and my expenses, such as property taxes and utilities, keep going up. Why is the City restricting my ability to raise rents?

Some months are 30 days and some are 31 days. Should an owner count 120 days or 4 months forward before a rent increase to comply with the ordinance?

I’m a renter and my landlord raised my rent without providing 120 days’ notice. What can I do?

I’m in an income-subsidized unit and my rent increased with only one months’ notice. Is my landlord in violation of the City ordinance?

Resources