Previously, Washington’s rental laws didn’t have much guidance on new cooling units. Slatter said that landlords could refuse to let a tenant install one. The new law, by contrast, states that renters can now install a portable AC unit, as long as a landlord hasn’t explicitly written a ban into the lease.

The law, which went into effect in June, includes specific restrictions depending on the kinds of AC units a tenant is looking to install. For a window unit, here are the restrictions:

  • A tenant must give the landlord two days’ notice before installation.
  • The device cannot prevent a window accessible from the outside to be locked.
  • It cannot require excessive brackets that would damage the window frame warranty.
  • The device must be safely secured from falling out of the window.
  • The landlord’s insurance policy must allow window-mounted units to be installed.
  • Landlords can require inspection of window-mounted units after installation.
  • Fewer restrictions apply to other types of AC units, like floor-mounted devices and saddle-mounted units.
  • BigMacHole
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    12 days ago

    It’s a LAW that the Room I pay THOUSANDS for in Rent HAS to be Livable? I can’t WAIT to VOTE OUT these Socialists DEMONS Causing this!

    -LITERALLY Republicans!

    • unwarlikeExtortion@lemmy.ml
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      12 days ago

      No it isn’t.

      It’s a law that says you can buy one yourself (in your thousand dollar a month place) and the landlod can’t say no. Except for the way too many carveouts.

      Nowehere does it say what it should: an AC is a minimum requirement like heating, running drinking water and electricity.

    • searabbit@piefed.social
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      12 days ago

      Just let the free market decide whether the poors live or die. I don’t care, do you?

      • literally Republicans