Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

Landlord-Tenant

If you rent your home you are covered by the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18).  In a 1985 decision, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that the Consumer Protection Act does not cover violations of the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.  Therefore, we do not handle consumer complaints about issues covered by the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.  However, we have provided a list of resources for those seeking information regarding residential landlord/tenant issues. 

The Attorney General's Office has the legal authority to accept and attempt to resolve disputes concerning issues that arise from mobile/manufactured tenancy where an individual owns the home and rents a lot for the home in a mobile/manufactured home park.  If this applies to you contact the Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program  at (866) WAG-MHLTA (1-866-924-6458) or file a complaint regarding your mobile/manufactured home dispute. 

If your landlord-tenant issue demands immediate legal action, you may want to seek Landlord Tenant resources for legal advice, mediation or Small Claims Court (for claims under $10,000 — no attorney necessary). If your complaint involves more than $10,000, you may wish to seek a private attorney.


 
Unpaid Rent Repayment Plan Worksheet (PDF)
Spanish - Español

Russian - Pусский

 

Information resources for tenants and landlords following end of COVID-19 State of Emergency in Washington

As of May 1, 2023 (six months after the end of the public health emergency), landlords are no longer required to offer tenants a repayment plan for any unpaid rent accrued on or after May 1, 2023. Landlords are still required to offer tenants a repayment plan for any unpaid rent accrued between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2023. See RCW 59.18.630 for more information. 

The Eviction Resolution Pilot Program expires on July 1, 2023. After that date, landlord participation in the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program will no longer be a pre-requisite to filing court eviction proceedings for non-payment of rent. See RCW 59.18.660 for more information.

 

HB 2064: Fee in Lieu of Security Deposit

In 2022 the Legislature adopted HB 2064. Under this law, a landlord may offer the tenant the option of paying a fee instead of a full security deposit. When a landlord offers the tenant the choice of paying a fee in lieu of the security deposit, the landlord must disclose certain terms to the tenant in writing. The landlord must provide the disclosure form with any lease and renewal that includes the option to pay a fee instead of a security deposit. HB 2064 requires that the Office of the Attorney General make this form available in the 12 most commonly spoken languages in Washington.

 

14 Day Notice Forms

In 2021, the Washington State Legislature passed and Governor Inslee signed legislation, which required landlords to provide notice at least 14 days before initiating an eviction proceeding, and made changes to the notice form that landlords must send to tenants if they fail to pay rent, utilities or another periodic charge that is agreed to in the lease. The 14-day notice informs tenants of the total financial obligation alleged by the landlord. The Attorney General’s Office translated this 14-day notice into 12 languages commonly-spoken in Washington. Seventeen translated notice forms translated can be found below. The Attorney General’s Office collected information for tenants about legal and advocacy resources, including immigrant and cultural organizations where tenants can receive assistance in their primary language. These resources can be found here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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