The Office of the Hearing Examiner is hereby vested with the authority to hear and
resolve tenant complaints against landlords regarding billing practices in accordance
with its rules and procedures then in force governing contested cases. The filing
fee for such a case shall be set at $5.00. Upon the finding of a violation of this
chapter, the Hearing Examiner shall award actual damages (including but not limited
to refund of any overpayment or other fees or charges resulting from such violation,
and costs of pursuing the claim) and a penalty of one hundred dollars, and may permit
the tenant to terminate the rental agreement by written notice in accordance with
RCW 59.18.090. If the Hearing Examiner determines that the landlord engaged in prohibited
billing practices in deliberate violation of this chapter, the penalty mentioned in
the preceding sentence shall be two hundred dollars, and the Hearing Examiner shall
also award attorneys' fees to the tenant. A final order or decision of the Hearing
Examiner may be subject to judicial review in the King County Superior Court in accordance
with the Hearing Examiner's rules and procedures.
2.