Many landlords in Spokane, Washington contact our office because they want to learn how to evict a tenant who is either not paying rent or causing damages to the property.
The first problem we have when it comes to help landlords is that many of them either have no written lease OR the lease that they have is not very good.
Many landlords fail to secure an attorney to review their leases so they have local enforceability. Many landlords make the mistake to go online and download an inexpensive or free form and attempt to enforce it. This leaves the landlord in a very weak position. Washington statutes and case law; however, municipalities like Spokane and Seattle add further requirements that must be followed. If the landlord fails to comply with those extra requirements, the landlord could be held liable for damages.
The Residential Landlord Tenant Act, RCW 50.18, codifies the requirements and laws a landlord and a tenant must comply with. When a lease is not properly drafted or nonexistent, the code would dictate the rights and responsibilities of each party. It is important to note that the act is heavily enforced against the landlord. Spokane County Courts try to benefit the tenant when interpreting the code.