| Repair | Who pays | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk Trash / Junk Removal | Shared | Seattle has no free bulk trash day. Seattle Public Utilities offers paid, on-demand Special Item Pickup at $31 per item, up to 300 lbs and 8 feet. |
| Gas Service Line | Property owner | In Seattle, Puget Sound Energy owns the gas line to the meter; beyond it, the owner maintains it. Cited to PSE. |
| Rental: City Repair/Heat Ordinance | Landlord | Seattle's Housing and Building Maintenance Code sets citywide minimum heat standards for every rental building, enforced by SDCI. |
| Sewer Lateral | Property owner | In Seattle the homeowner owns the side sewer all the way to the public sewer pipe, verified against Seattle Public Utilities. |
| Sidewalk Repair | Property owner | In Seattle the owner repairs the sidewalk, unless a City-owned tree or City sewer line caused the damage; then SDOT repairs it. |
| Tree Roots | Shared | Seattle tree root/sidewalk damage: City street trees make it the City's problem (about 15-20% of sidewalks); private trees and general wear are the owner's, per the City Auditor's 2021 report. |
| Water Service Line | Shared | In Seattle the water meter divides customer-side (owner) from City-side (SPU). Cited to SPU Director’s Rule CS-325. |
Bulk Trash / Junk Removal
Seattle Public Utilities collects large furniture, appliances, and TVs only through its paid, on-demand "Special Item Pickup" ($31 per item, capped at 300 lbs/8 ft/4 ft diameter), not on a free scheduled bulk day; construction debris is handled by a separate program.
$31 per item Large furniture, appliances, and TVs larger than 2' x 2' x 2' Limit: cannot exceed 300lbs, 8 feet in height, or 4 feet in diameter
Source: Special Item Pickup
Gas Service Line
Seattle: past the gas meter is yours. "Puget Sound Energy owns the natural gas pipelines up to your meter. From there on, they belong to you."
Puget Sound Energy owns the natural gas pipelines up to your meter. From there on, they belong to you. It is your responsibility to maintain them.
Source: Maintain your piping
Rental: City Repair/Heat Ordinance
Seattle's Housing and Building Maintenance Code sets citywide minimum heat and maintenance standards for every rental building, enforceable by the city.
Our Housing and Building Maintenance Code applies to all buildings in the City of Seattle. It contains minimum standards for structural integrity, heat, ventilation, electrical equipment, fire safety including exit requirements, and security for housing units.
Sewer Lateral
Seattle homeowners own their "side sewer" all the way to where it connects to the public sewer pipe, not just to the property line.
If you own your home or building, you own your side sewer until it connects to the public sewer pipe.
Source: Side Sewer Maintenance: you own your side sewer to the public sewer pipe
Sidewalk Repair
Seattle: the abutting owner is responsible for sidewalk repair, unless a City-owned tree or a City sewer line caused the damage; then the City repairs it.
Whenever, in the judgment of the Director of Transportation, the condition of any sidewalk... is such as to render the same unfit or unsafe for purposes of public travel, or require clearing, cleaning, repair, or renewal, said official is authorized... to serve upon the owner of the property immediately abutting...
Source: Seattle Municipal Code Ch. 15.72: Sidewalk Maintenance (owner repair on notice; cost assessment)
Tree Roots
Seattle: if a City street tree did it, that's the City's roughly-15-to-20%. Everything else, including private trees, is on the owner, though the City admits it never actually enforces that.
The remaining 80 to 85 percent are primarily the responsibility of the adjacent private property owners.
Water Service Line
Seattle: the meter is the divide, SPU frames leaks as "on either the customer’s side or the City side of the water meter," and the customer owns the customer-side pipes.
This Director’s Rule establishes the requirements and process for Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) customers to request adjustments to water and sewer charges when a leak occurs in the water system on either the customer’s side or the City side of the water meter.
Source: Director’s Rule CS-325: leak adjustments (retail customers)
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