http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info by an experienced Washington Landlord-Tenant attorney Wed, 07 May 2008 17:27:46 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Washington law provides landlords with civil immunity for the criminal conduct of ex-offenders if the landlord discloses to other residents that the landlord rents or has a policy of renting to offenders and the landlord takes steps to report or halt criminal activity if the landlord has actual knowledge of ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2008/04/01/landlord-immunity-for-renting-to-ex-offenders/ Governor Gregoire as expected signed into law the bill regarding the landlord's requirements to store property upon eviction of a tenant.  However, the governor vetoed the part of the bill that would have made the law go into effect immediately.  Under the Washington constitution the law will go into effect 90 days ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2008/03/19/governer-gregoire-signs-bill-but-vetos-immediate-enactment/ The legislature has passed and Governor Gregoire is expected to sign Monday, March 17, 2008, a new law that changes the landlord's obligations to store a tenant's belongings when a tenant is evicted. Prior to this new law, a Court of Appeals decision had held that the landlord was obligated to store the tenant's ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2008/03/16/new-law-regarding-storage-of-tenants-belongings/ Abandonment is an absolute relinquishment of a known right.  The landlord must be prepared to prove abandonment with clear and convincing evidence.  In the event of such abandonment the landlord may immediately enter and take possession of any property of the tenant found on the premises and store it in any reasonably secure place. A landlord must ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2008/02/02/storing-the-tenants-property-after-abandonment/ Under current law a tenant who provides false information an a rental application cannot be evicted solely for having done so.  This would change if a bill currently in the legislature passes into law. The bill would prohibit tenants from knowingly providing false, inaccurate, or misleading information during application process for tenancy. ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2008/01/27/false-information-on-rental-appilcation-so-what/ Foreclosures are becoming more common in the current mortgage crisis. Some professionals are approaching homeowners who are in over the heads on their mortgage and proposing to save them from foreclosure. The problem is that when a professional such as a real estate agent or loan officer presents a ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2008/01/21/new-bill-addresses-foreclosure-rescue-scams/ A proposed bill if passed into law would limit late fees on rent to the greater of $50.00 or 10% of the monthly rent, whichever is greater.  Current law simply requires the late fees to be "reasonable".  Reasonableness of late fees is currently up to the discretion of the court.  Generally it ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2008/01/19/proposed-bill-would-limit-late-fees/ Although a street address is required for a summons in a residential eviction – and therefore PO boxes are not appropriate in a summons - the statute is silent as to whether a PO Box is acceptable in a notice to pay rent or vacate. In fact, the statute does ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2008/01/12/the-check-is-in-the-mail/ The Washington State Supreme Court has held that Washington eviction statutes require three calendar days for compliance with a notice to pay rent or vacate, not three court days or three business days. A Washington Court of Appeals decision had held that the statutes and court rules require three business days, not calendar days, ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2007/12/30/supreme-court-considers-time-computation-for-3-day-notices/ Washington law requires landlords of residential property to provide certain mold information to all tenants. To comply a landlord must provide information in a form approved by the Washington Department of Health. Follow the links on this page to Departments web site where approved forms are posted. The mold disclosure pamphlet must ... http://washingtonlandlordtenant.info/2007/12/23/mold-disclosure/