As a resident of Mercer Island, I am writing to inform you of some unscrupulous rental practices at the apartment building 77 Central located in downtown Mercer Island.

My family and I recently moved to 77 Central while researching where exactly we wanted to purchase a home. Not knowing the exact duration of our stay in the apartment, we booked a short-term lease with the option of continuing using a month-to-month lease.

The building while in compliance with the law, refused to give us the price for the month-to-month rate until we were 30 days from the end of our short-term lease.

When our rental rate rose from $2,400 to $2,800 after only a period of four months, we stayed for convenience.

When they raised the rate from $2,800 to $4,750, saying that this is the market rate for a 700-square-foot two-bedroom apartment, we were appalled.

As we meet more neighbors and families on the Island who are looking for short-term, flexible rental options, I see that this loophole where buildings can charge any outrageous rate once the lease goes to month-to-month is seriously unscrupulous and leaves tenants vulnerable.

My family and I have found another rental on the Island, but wish we had been aware of the pitfalls of dealing with this issue.

This steep hike in rent is essentially a forced eviction by making the rent so high that we can no longer stay here.

I write to let you know about this issue because as more Mercer Islanders enter the rental market, they should be aware of what could happen to them should they go in a month-to-month lease.

Personally, I find apartment management companies that do this to be very short-sighted and shameless in their quest for the last dollar.

Juliana Robinson

Mercer Island