Yearly Archives: 2012

2 posts

Two Warranties of Habitability

Washington tenants now have not just one, but two warranties of habitability. This is the upshot of a recently published Court of Appeals decision.[1]   Since 1973 there has been an unresolved issue of whether there is one implied warranty defined in the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, or also another created by case law. In 1973 the Washington Supreme Court held in Foisy v. Wyman that residential tenancies have an implied warranty of habitability.[2]  Also in 1973 the legislature passed into law the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA).[3]   These two developments in Washington landlord-tenant law occurred independently. The Foisy case originated […]

New Law Affects Tenant Screening

    Beginning June 07, 2012 Washington state residential landlords who charge a fee for background checks will face new requirements.[1]   The landlords will be required to disclose:   what types of information will be accessed to conduct the tenant screening; what criteria may result in the denial of the application; the name and address of the consumer reporting agency, if used; the prospective tenant’s right to obtain a free copy of the consumer report  in the event of an adverse action and to dispute the accuracy of information in the consumer report   This information must be provided […]