Landlord - Tenant

Rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants

An overview of the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants can be found in the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA).

Additional material at Washington LawHelp covers many specific issues related to tenants' rights including:

The Clark County Rental Association is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating landlords. They offer newsletters, publications, mentorship, classes, and forms.

If tenants and landlords need help working toward a resolution of issues they may have with each other, mediation is available from Community Mediation Services. They provide mediation resources to facilitate dialogue and negotiation between tenants and landlords about any issues, including rent payment plans to help renters maintain housing.

Eviction

A rough outline of the eviction process is provided in an article from Doorloop and an article from ipropertymanagement. These can demonstrate a general idea of the steps and timeline, but be aware that they do not include all possible steps or local rules. For example, they do not mention the Eviction Resolution Program requirements or payment plans.

Recent legislation changed many forms, procedures, and requirements. The following resources highlight some of the changes:

Self-help kit from the King County Law Library

The King County Law Library has an eviction kit for sale. It includes a 14-day Pay Rent or Vacate Notice, a 10-Day Comply or Vacate Notice, and a Notice to Terminate a Periodic Tenancy.

The kit is designed for King County and includes local rules for locations within that county. Because every local government may have their own requirements, you may need to customize forms or modify procedures to comply with local rules within Clark County such as:

You should consult with an attorney if you have any questions about the process or how to customize the forms within the kit. The Clark County Law Library does not endorse the materials in the kit.

Eviction defense

Recent legislation made substantial changes to the law about evictions. One of the changes is that a landlord must give a "good" reason to end a tenancy or not renew a lease.

Washington LawHelp has materials for tenants including:

The Clark County Superior Court has issued General Order 21-06A about the appointment of counsel for indigent tenants. The latest General Orders are available on the Superior Court site.

Washington LawHelp also has information and forms for specific situations. Some examples:

Washington LawHelp has information about the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program. For free services under the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program, contact Community Mediation Services.

The Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program has a page about eviction and rent help, and the Washington Attorney General has a page with residential landlord-tenant resources.

Free eBooks about landlord-tenant law

Leases and Rental Agreements book cover

How to find books about landlord - tenant law

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