Tenant Resources

BTU supports our members and other Bellingham tenants maintain healthy and stable rental housing.  If these resources don't solve your issue or answer your question, don't hesitate to reach out to us.  We can advocate on your behalf and use our relationships with elected leaders, city staff, and tenant attorneys to help you. 

Know Your Rights

• Tenants Union of Washington. The state-wide Tenant Union has an extensive know your rights section, providing information on topics like getting repairs and how to get deposits back.

• Washington Law Help. A good resource for tenants with articles like 'Can the Landlord Do That?' and 'How do I Sue in Small Claims Court?'.

• If you are looking to learn more about your rights as a tenant, please take a look at our Tenant Rights Compendium, assembled from over two years of organizing experience.

Legal Aid / Keeping your housing / Conflict Resolution / Tenant Counseling 

• LAW Advocates. This critical Bellingham non-profit provides free legal assistance to low income renters. Their phone number is 360-671-6079. Their free legal clinics have resumed and you can see their calendar here.

• CLEAR (Coordinated Legal Education Advice and Referral) is Washington toll-free legal hotline for income-qualified tenants. You can call CLEAR Monday-Friday from 9:15 am to 12:15 pm at 888-201-1014.

• TU Tenants Rights Hotline is a free resource with trained non-attorney Tenant Counselors to assist you with questions about landlord-tenant laws and discuss strategies to prevent housing loss. The number is 206-723-0500. The hotline is open Monday – Thursday from: 10am-12:30pm and 1:30-4pm, and Friday from: 10am-12:30pm. Interpretation is available in many languages.

• Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center Housing Stability Program

  Are you experiencing conflict with your landlord or tenant? Are you facing or considering eviction? Has communication broken down with your housemate? Are relationships strained with your neighbor? Whether it’s rent, maintenance, communication, or moving out, you don’t need to face these situations alone. Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center has FREE Housing Stability mediation services that can help you navigate these challenges. Contact our case managers to learn more and get started! P: 360-676-0122 x115 EM: housing@whatcomdrc.org WEB: https://www.whatcomdrc.org/housingstability

• If you file a Small Claims case in Whatcom County, the WDRC offers to mediate at no additional cost. You can also access mediation services on a sliding scale before filing and save the Small Claims court fee. Mediation does not negatively affect credit like court can, and it's an opportunity to improve relationships or to part ways on terms that work for everyone involved. You can contact them at wdrc@whatcomdrc.org or visit their website to learn more.

BELLINGHAM-Specific LAWS and resources

• Tenants have a right to safe housing under the city's Rental Safety and Inspection Program. Your home should meet all the standards listed in this rental safety checklist. However, some landlords exploit a loophole in the program to hire corrupt private inspectors that falsify inspection reports. If you have a an issue with substandard housing conditions can call the city's Permit Center or submit a Code Enforcement Request (pdf).

• Tenants in Bellingham benefit from the following protections thanks to an ordinance passed in 2018 by Councilmember Dan Hammill's and April Barker’s leadership and BTU's organizing.

  • Discrimination is banned by landlords against people with housing assistance;

  • 120 day notice required for all rent increases and

  • 120 day notice required for no-cause evictions.

If you're being discriminated against and your rights are being violated, we strongly recommend you submit a Code Enforcement Investigation Request to the city. We then recommend that you contact CLEAR and LAW Advocates for legal aid, as listed above.