A Kent landlord and his tenants sued the city, saying inspections are an invasion of privacy

Single-family housing in Kent. Google image

A Kent landlord and his tenants sued the city, saying inspections are an invasion of privacy

- Wendy DiAlesandro

A group of landlords and tenants in Kent say the city’s 2019 rollout of residential rental inspections is an invasion of privacy, and they’re suing the city to put an end to the practice.

Kent landlord Bernie Noble said he had no problem with the new biennial inspections until his tenants started voicing their concerns. So he refused to schedule inspections and started racking up citations and fines from the city’s Community Development Department, which is tasked with conducting the inspections. As a noncompliant landlord, he also faces having his property condemned.

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