Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Washington

Re: Rent raised 55% upon expiration of Lease

Probably. The point of a lease is to provide you with security knowing what your housing payment will be for a period of time.

Leases are valid for up to a year. Lease terms can be changed with 30 days notice to the tenant.

Your landlord has actually done you a favor by giving you advance notice. They didn't have to tell you until October 1, 2007.

WA doesn't have any form of rent control. Landlords (with certain exceptions) can raise the rent as much as they think the market will bear.

This way you can give notice on or before October 10, 2007 that you are leaving if you don't want to pay that increase.

Elizabeth Powell