RUBS is a creepy acronym and a landlord scam

The Burner Seattle: RUBS IS A CREEPY ACRONYM AND A LANDLORD SCAM
Rent in Seattle has spiked 20% since 2021, and landlords have found a clever way to raise the rent without raising the rent . . . Seattle’s growing trend of RUBS is landlords’ retaliation to the state’s 2025 rent stabilization law that caps rent hikes to 10% annually (an amount that is still too high!) When landlords charge for utilities through a flat rate, it is considered a part of rent and is subjected to rent stabilization. However, RUBS is not considered rent, creating exploitative loopholes that landlords have explicitly named on LinkedIn.