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Washington Landlord - Tenant Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Civil Rights, Libel & Slander and Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: My landlord and her 65-year-old daughter lied and obtained an anti-Harassment order which rendered me homeless,any help

On this for relief against these two Unimaginably deceitful individuals I'm sure would satisfy any good soul in a victory over bad people that treated me so bad you could probably get a judgement on their house in Edmonds,Wa.

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Nov 7, 2023

If you believe an anti-harassment order was wrongfully obtained against you, you may consider appealing the order in court. You'll need to provide evidence that the claims made by your landlord and her daughter were false. It's crucial to act promptly since there are often strict... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Contracts and Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: Before my landlord passed away he told me if when he died I'd have a 2 year lease. His son now owns the property.

Is it a binding agreement?

T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Oct 23, 2023

The enforceability of the verbal agreement you had with your landlord regarding a 2-year lease after his passing can be complex and depends on various factors, including state laws, evidence, and the willingness of the new property owner to honor the commitment. While verbal agreements can be... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Business Law, Civil Litigation, Criminal Law and Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: The Legal Lessor locked me out of my business he violently forced me out of the store, and I filed a case in police depa

The Legal Lessor locked me out of my business he violently forced me out of the store, and I filed a case in police department.

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Sep 28, 2023

Generally speaking, a commercial landlord can only exercise its right to lockout a commercial tenant if the tenant has failed to timely pay rent, and must provide a key for access to the premises promptly when the tenant cures any default in the payment of rent.

If the landlord wrongfully...
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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: I have a protection order against my husband for 5 years. And his stuff is at my place and hasn’t gotten anything

How long before I can throw it away

T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Sep 26, 2023

In Washington, how long you must hold onto someone's belongings after they've left your residence may vary depending on the situation. Typically, you would need to follow state regulations or local ordinances regarding abandoned property. Generally speaking, giving formal notice and a... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: Can a landlord use overpayments in rent to pay for fixes and charges after move out and termination of lease?

They used over 2 thousand in accidental overpayments in rent to cover charges to fix up the property. Are they obligated to return that money and send a bill for the charges? This is in Olympia WA

T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Sep 22, 2023

In Olympia, Washington, the terms of your lease agreement generally dictate what a landlord can and cannot do with overpayments or deposits. Typically, a landlord is required to provide an itemized list of damages and the associated costs within a specific timeframe after you move out. However, if... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury and Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: is it illegal for my roommates to go into my room while i’m at work and pack my stuff up to move their stuff in ?
T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Sep 19, 2023

If your roommates enter your room without your permission and handle your belongings, they might be infringing on several legal principles. Firstly, every individual has a recognized right to privacy. This extends to shared living spaces, where each resident typically has an expectation of privacy... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: Can I terminate my lease for failure to repair things in my apartment, it's been 3 months since I first put in requests.
T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Sep 19, 2023

In Washington state, landlords are legally obligated to ensure that rental properties are habitable and safe. If your landlord has not addressed essential repairs, especially those affecting health and safety, after being notified, you might have grounds for legal action or remedies. These can... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Energy, Oil and Gas and Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: Land owner shut my power off, can they do that?

Am a caregiver, caretaker of property. Owner has dementhia,daughter is POA. She shut power off.

T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Sep 4, 2023

In Washington State, the ability of a property owner or their legal representative (like a power of attorney) to shut off utilities, including power, can depend on various factors, including the terms of any agreements in place and the specific circumstances.

If you have an agreement in...
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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: Landlord wants us to temporarily move units. How much notice and assistance is required by law?

There is a non emergency plumbing issue, leak, under our apartment. They want us to move units for up to 2 months ASAP with no moving help. We are a family of 5 and they won't give us a time limit just saying right now if possible. We are low income housing and don't have the money for... View More

T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Jul 12, 2023

Landlords are generally required to provide written notice to tenants in advance for any significant changes or disruptions, including requests to temporarily move units. The notice period can vary, but it's typically 30 to 60 days.

Regarding relocation assistance, some jurisdictions...
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1 Answer | Asked in Contracts and Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: Am I required to pay the full month's rent if I only lived in the unit for 14 days at the property manager's request?

Am I required to pay the full monthly rent if I only lived in the unit for 14 days? I requested to get my bathroom/kitchen vinyl replaced & the contractors discovered mold underneath the vinyl. I was asked to leave my apt during repairs which last 16 days. I was not aware of any leakage but my... View More

Maurice Mandel II
Maurice Mandel II
answered on Jul 10, 2023

Argghh! The leaky toilet seal case. Toilets sit on a "Wax ring" that seal the flow between the toilet and the sewer pipe. if it becomes dislodged or there is some other problem, there will be a leak into the floor that you don't always see, it goes into the floor under the ring. If... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: If an old tenant left there belongings in my apartment and they are no long on the lease am I able to throw the stuff?

We had a year lease he left on the 11th month. And is not longer on any utilities or lease.

T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Jul 4, 2023

Provide them with a reasonable opportunity to collect their items. You can inform them of the situation and establish a deadline for retrieval. If they do not respond or retrieve their belongings within the specified time, you may consider disposing of the items following the appropriate legal... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: In Washington, does RCW 59.18.060 (6) mean my landlord has to give me a key rather than relying on an electronic lock?

I recently moved into an Essex apartment in Seattle, Washington; the door has a SmartRent Device electronic lock which has a keyhole, but I have been given no key, and it is management policy not to give anyone keys except to fulfill disability accommodations.

RCW 59.18.060 includes the... View More

Brent Bowden
Brent Bowden
answered on Jun 26, 2023

I am not aware of any caselaw answering the question directly. The statute likely predates the prevalence of electronic locks and codes, but it certainly raises issues if they only give you a code and not a physical key. If the power goes out/battery dies/tech malfunctions, etc. Not to mention it... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: Can my landlord make me pay using a cashiers check after one returned rent payment?

My lease states after 2 returned bank items a cashiers check or money order will be required. Before I signed my lease I had 2 application fees fail because I used a credit card. I found out after that you couldn’t use a credit card on their system. I’ve had only 1 returned bank item since... View More

Brent Bowden
Brent Bowden
answered on May 4, 2023

RCW 59.18.063 requires that a landlord accept a personal check, cashier's check, or money order. Except that they do not have to accept a personal check if one has been returned NSF in the last 9 months.

https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.063

So, under the...
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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: When are you required to renew your lease in Washington state?

Hello, we live in Washington state. We are currently leasing a home and our lease ends July 31 of this year. Our landlord is requesting that we renew or lease in two days otherwise he will begin looking for other tenants. We are trying to determine if purchasing a home would be a better option but... View More

Brent Bowden
Brent Bowden
answered on Apr 26, 2023

Unless your rental is in a jurisdiction with its own set of rental protections, RCW 59.18.650 is the statute that likely answers your question. The answer is going to depend on the type of lease you have and the language used in the lease.

If your initial lease is what expires on July 31,...
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1 Answer | Asked in Personal Injury, Real Estate Law and Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: What type of lawyer is needed for a rental with toxic well water (e.coli found) & toxic levels of black mold?

I am writing on behalf of my brother’s family.

Their rental is on a well. Main well dried up -they are on the backup well - located up the hill. The water comes out of a uncovered tube. They’ve complained to their landlords & were told the water is fine -they won’t fix or drill a... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Nov 11, 2022

A Washington attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for two weeks. You chose the correct categories to post under - landlord-tenant and personal injury. Those are the types of attorneys who would have insight into this. As a starting point, your brother could consult with a... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: I have a 2 year lease and after the landlord passed away I was given an eviction notice because they wanted to sell lega

Is it legal,I've done nothing to violate my lease

T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Nov 15, 2023

Even though your landlord has passed away, their estate is still responsible for upholding the terms of your lease agreement. This means that you may be able to sue the estate for wrongful eviction.

2 Answers | Asked in Family Law, Domestic Violence and Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: Where can I find a pro bono lawyer for a power of attorney

I'm the power of attorney for my dad but my mom keeps putting protection orders against me so I'll stop me from seeing my dad and I need legal advice about me being a power of attorney and what can I do my mom's trying to sell his house and put him in a home and he wants to die in... View More

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Apr 7, 2023

The Washington State Bar Association provides the following resources for pro bono and low-cost legal assistance for its indigent population:

https://www.wsba.org/for-the-public/find-legal-help

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1 Answer | Asked in Personal Injury and Landlord - Tenant for Washington on
Q: Are mold cases ever successful?

Tenants in our building have chronic health issues. Signs of mold and water damage everywhere. Bursting pipes ignored. One tenant had professional testing done which yielded positive for toxic mold. Can these results be used for all tenants? Are mold cases ever successful?

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Apr 21, 2022

A Washington attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for two weeks. As a general matter nationwide, they can be difficult cases. Some law firms are reluctant to take them on because things are not as clear-cut as more traditional accident cases involving clearly definable damages... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Rights, Landlord - Tenant and Real Estate Law for Washington on
Q: Where can I find a civil rights lawyer that handles commercial discrimination real estate cases?
Randy Bryan Ligh
Randy Bryan Ligh
answered on Feb 24, 2022

Start buy using the Find a Lawyer tab above and search for civil rights attorneys in your area----call a few and discuss your matter with them. Good luck.

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law, Landlord - Tenant and Probate for Washington on
Q: My mom passed away and owned a house where she had a roommate but we need to sell the house. How do we handle this?

The roommate doesn't have a lease or anything in writing. We're concerned she may not leave because she doesn't have the means but we need to be able to access the house to prepare it for sale. We need to know what our rights are as the estate administrators.

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Dec 28, 2021

It is your duty as an Estate Fiduciary to file the eviction action for possession of the Beneficiaries' real property. Hire a competent WA attorney to file suit.

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