Landlord-tenant

AN ACT Relating to reforms of landlord-tenant laws; amending RCW 1
59.18.650, 59.18.650, and 59.18.370; adding a new section to chapter 2
59.18 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 59.20 RCW; providing an 3
effective date; and providing an expiration date. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
Sec. 1. RCW 59.18.650 and 2021 c 212 s 2 are each amended to 6
read as follows: 7
(1)(a) A landlord may not evict a tenant, refuse to continue a 8
tenancy, or end a periodic tenancy except for the causes enumerated 9
in subsection (2) of this section and as otherwise provided in this 10
subsection. 11
(b) If a landlord and tenant enter into a rental agreement that 12
provides for the tenancy to continue for an indefinite period on a 13
month-to-month or periodic basis after the agreement expires, the 14
landlord may not end the tenancy except for the causes enumerated in 15
subsection (2) of this section; however, a landlord may end such a 16
tenancy at the end of the initial period of the rental agreement 17
without cause only if: 18
(i) At the inception of the tenancy, the landlord and tenant 19
entered into a rental agreement between six and 12 months; and20
H-1374.3
HOUSE BILL 2022
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Richards, Barkis, Rule, Stuebe, and Leavitt
Read first time 02/25/25. Referred to Committee on Housing.
p. 1 HB 2022
(ii) The landlord has provided the tenant before the end of the 1
initial lease period at least 60 days' advance written notice ending 2
the tenancy, served in a manner consistent with RCW 59.12.040.3
(c) If a landlord and tenant enter into a rental agreement for a 4
specified period in which the tenancy by the terms of the rental 5
agreement does not continue for an indefinite period on a month-to-6
month or periodic basis after the end of the specified period, ((the 7
landlord may end such a tenancy without cause upon expiration of the 8
specified period only if:9
(i) At the inception of the tenancy, the landlord and tenant 10
entered into a rental agreement of 12 months or more for a specified 11
period, or the landlord and tenant have continuously and without 12
interruption entered into successive rental agreements of six months 13
or more for a specified period since the inception of the tenancy;14
(ii) The)) and the landlord has provided the tenant before the 15
end of the specified period at least 60 days' advance written notice 16
that the tenancy will be deemed expired at the end of such specified 17
period, served in a manner consistent with RCW 59.12.040((; and18
(iii) The tenancy has not been for an indefinite period on a 19
month-to-month or periodic basis at any point since the inception of 20
the tenancy. However, for any tenancy of an indefinite period in 21
existence as of May 10, 2021, if the landlord and tenant enter into a 22
rental agreement between May 10, 2021, and three months following the 23
expiration of the governor's proclamation 20-19.6 or any extensions 24
thereof, the landlord may exercise rights under this subsection 25
(1)(c) as if the rental agreement was entered into at the inception 26
of the tenancy provided that the rental agreement is otherwise in 27
accordance with this subsection (1)(c))), then a landlord may end 28
such a tenancy at the end of the initial period of the rental 29
agreement without cause. 30
(d) For all other tenancies of a specified period not covered 31
under (b) or (c) of this subsection, and for tenancies of an 32
indefinite period on a month-to-month or periodic basis, a landlord 33
may not end the tenancy except for the causes enumerated in 34
subsection (2) of this section. Upon the end date of the tenancy of a 35
specified period, the tenancy becomes a month-to-month tenancy.36
(e) Nothing prohibits a landlord and tenant from entering into 37
subsequent lease agreements that are in compliance with the 38
requirements in subsection (2) of this section. 39
p. 2 HB 2022
(f) A tenant may end a tenancy for a specified time by providing 1
notice in writing not less than 20 days prior to the ending date of 2
the specified time. 3
(2) The following reasons listed in this subsection constitute 4
cause pursuant to subsection (1) of this section: 5
(a) The tenant continues in possession in person or by subtenant 6
after a default in the payment of rent, and after written notice 7
requiring, in the alternative, the payment of the rent or the 8
surrender of the detained premises has remained uncomplied with for 9
the period set forth in RCW 59.12.030(3) for tenants subject to this 10
chapter. The written notice may be served at any time after the rent 11
becomes due; 12
(b) The tenant continues in possession after substantial breach 13
of a material program requirement of subsidized housing, material 14
term subscribed to by the tenant within the lease or rental 15
agreement, or a tenant obligation imposed by law, other than one for 16
monetary damages, and after the landlord has served written notice 17
specifying the acts or omissions constituting the breach and 18
requiring, in the alternative, that the breach be remedied or the 19
rental agreement will end, and the breach has not been adequately 20
remedied by the date specified in the notice, which date must be at 21
least 10 days after service of the notice; 22
(c) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 23
least three days' advance written notice to quit after he or she 24
commits or permits waste or nuisance upon the premises, unlawful 25
activity that affects the use and enjoyment of the premises, or other 26
substantial or repeated and unreasonable interference with the use 27
and enjoyment of the premises by the landlord or neighbors of the 28
tenant; 29
(d) The tenant continues in possession after the landlord of a 30
dwelling unit in good faith seeks possession so that the owner or his 31
or her immediate family may occupy the unit as that person's 32
principal residence and no substantially equivalent unit is vacant 33
and available to house the owner or his or her immediate family in 34
the same building, and the owner has provided at least 90 days' 35
advance written notice of the date the tenant's possession is to end. 36
There is a rebuttable presumption that the owner did not act in good 37
faith if the owner or immediate family fails to occupy the unit as a 38
principal residence for at least 60 consecutive days during the 90 39
days immediately after the tenant vacated the unit pursuant to a 40
p. 3 HB 2022
notice to vacate using this subsection (2)(d) as the cause for the 1
lease ending; 2
(e) The tenant continues in possession after the owner elects to 3
sell a single-family residence and the landlord has provided at least 4
90 days' advance written notice of the date the tenant's possession 5
is to end. For the purposes of this subsection (2)(e), an owner 6
"elects to sell" when the owner makes reasonable attempts to sell the 7
dwelling within 30 days after the tenant has vacated, including, at a 8
minimum, listing it for sale at a reasonable price with a realty 9
agency or advertising it for sale at a reasonable price by listing it 10
on the real estate multiple listing service. There shall be a 11
rebuttable presumption that the owner did not intend to sell the unit 12
if: 13
(i) Within 30 days after the tenant has vacated, the owner does 14
not list the single-family dwelling unit for sale at a reasonable 15
price with a realty agency or advertise it for sale at a reasonable 16
price by listing it on the real estate multiple listing service; or17
(ii) Within 90 days after the date the tenant vacated or the date 18
the property was listed for sale, whichever is later, the owner 19
withdraws the rental unit from the market, the landlord rents the 20
unit to someone other than the former tenant, or the landlord 21
otherwise indicates that the owner does not intend to sell the unit;22
(f) The tenant continues in possession of the premises after the 23
landlord serves the tenant with advance written notice pursuant to 24
RCW 59.18.200(2)(c); 25
(g) The tenant continues in possession after the owner elects to 26
withdraw the premises to pursue a conversion pursuant to RCW 27
64.34.440 or 64.90.655; 28
(h) The tenant continues in possession, after the landlord has 29
provided at least 30 days' advance written notice to vacate that: (i) 30
The premises has been certified or condemned as uninhabitable by a 31
local agency charged with the authority to issue such an order; and 32
(ii) continued habitation of the premises would subject the landlord 33
to civil or criminal penalties. However, if the terms of the local 34
agency's order do not allow the landlord to provide at least 30 days' 35
advance written notice, the landlord must provide as much advance 36
written notice as is possible and still comply with the order;37
(i) The tenant continues in possession after an owner or lessor, 38
with whom the tenant shares the dwelling unit or access to a common 39
kitchen or bathroom area, has served at least 20 days' advance 40
p. 4 HB 2022
written notice to vacate prior to the end of the rental term or, if a 1
periodic tenancy, the end of the rental period; 2
(j) The tenant continues in possession of a dwelling unit in 3
transitional housing after having received at least 30 days' advance 4
written notice to vacate in advance of the expiration of the 5
transitional housing program, the tenant has aged out of the 6
transitional housing program, or the tenant has completed an 7
educational or training or service program and is no longer eligible 8
to participate in the transitional housing program. Nothing in this 9
subsection (2)(j) prohibits the ending of a tenancy in transitional 10
housing for any of the other causes specified in this subsection;11
(k) The tenant continues in possession of a dwelling unit after 12
the expiration of a rental agreement without signing a proposed new 13
rental agreement proffered by the landlord; provided, that the 14
landlord proffered the proposed new rental agreement at least 30 days 15
prior to the expiration of the current rental agreement and that any 16
new terms and conditions of the proposed new rental agreement are 17
reasonable. This subsection (2)(k) does not apply to tenants whose 18
tenancies are or have become periodic; 19
(l) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 20
least 30 days' advance written notice to vacate due to intentional, 21
knowing, and material misrepresentations or omissions made on the 22
tenant's application at the inception of the tenancy that, had these 23
misrepresentations or omissions not been made, would have resulted in 24
the landlord requesting additional information or taking an adverse 25
action; 26
(m) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 27
least 60 days' advance written notice to vacate for other good cause 28
prior to the end of the period or rental agreement and such cause 29
constitutes a legitimate economic or business reason not covered or 30
related to a basis for ending the lease as enumerated under this 31
subsection (2). When the landlord relies on this basis for ending the 32
tenancy, the court may stay any writ of restitution for up to 60 33
additional days for good cause shown, including difficulty procuring 34
alternative housing. The court must condition such a stay upon the 35
tenant's continued payment of rent during the stay period. Upon 36
granting such a stay, the court must award court costs and fees as 37
allowed under this chapter; 38
(n)(i) The tenant continues in possession after having received 39
at least 60 days' written notice to vacate prior to the end of the 40
p. 5 HB 2022
period or rental agreement and the tenant has committed four or more 1
of the following violations, other than ones for monetary damages, 2
within the preceding 12-month period, the tenant has remedied or 3
cured the violation, and the landlord has provided the tenant a 4
written warning notice at the time of each violation: A substantial 5
breach of a material program requirement of subsidized housing, a 6
substantial breach of a material term subscribed to by the tenant 7
within the lease or rental agreement, or a substantial breach of a 8
tenant obligation imposed by law; 9
(ii) Each written warning notice must: 10
(A) Specify the violation; 11
(B) Provide the tenant an opportunity to cure the violation;12
(C) State that the landlord may choose to end the tenancy at the 13
end of the rental term if there are four violations within a 12-month 14
period preceding the end of the term; and 15
(D) State that correcting the fourth or subsequent violation is 16
not a defense to the ending of the lease under this subsection;17
(iii) The 60-day notice to vacate must: 18
(A) State that the rental agreement will end upon the specified 19
ending date for the rental term or upon a designated date not less 20
than 60 days after the delivery of the notice, whichever is later;21
(B) Specify the reason for ending the lease and supporting facts; 22
and 23
(C) Be served to the tenant concurrent with or after the fourth 24
or subsequent written warning notice; 25
(iv) The notice under this subsection must include all notices 26
supporting the basis of ending the lease; 27
(v) Any notices asserted under this subsection must pertain to 28
four or more separate incidents or occurrences; and29
(vi) This subsection (2)(n) does not absolve a landlord from 30
demonstrating by admissible evidence that the four or more violations 31
constituted breaches under (b) of this subsection at the time of the 32
violation had the tenant not remedied or cured the violation;33
(o) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 34
least 60 days' advance written notice to vacate prior to the end of 35
the rental period or rental agreement if the tenant is required to 36
register as a sex offender during the tenancy, or failed to disclose 37
a requirement to register as a sex offender when required in the 38
rental application or otherwise known to the property owner at the 39
beginning of the tenancy; 40
p. 6 HB 2022
(p) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 1
least 20 days' advance written notice to vacate prior to the end of 2
the rental period or rental agreement if the tenant has made unwanted 3
sexual advances or other acts of sexual harassment directed at the 4
property owner, property manager, property employee, or another 5
tenant based on the person's race, gender, or other protected status 6
in violation of any covenant or term in the lease. 7
(3) When a tenant has permanently vacated due to voluntary or 8
involuntary events, other than by the ending of the tenancy by the 9
landlord, a landlord must serve a notice to any remaining occupants 10
who had coresided with the tenant at least six months prior to and up 11
to the time the tenant permanently vacated, requiring the occupants 12
to either apply to become a party to the rental agreement or vacate 13
within 30 days of service of such notice. In processing any 14
application from a remaining occupant under this subsection, the 15
landlord may require the occupant to meet the same screening, 16
background, and financial criteria as would any other prospective 17
tenant to continue the tenancy. If the occupant fails to apply within 18
30 days of receipt of the notice in this subsection, or the 19
application is denied for failure to meet the criteria, the landlord 20
may commence an unlawful detainer action under this chapter. If an 21
occupant becomes a party to the tenancy pursuant to this subsection, 22
a landlord may not end the tenancy except as provided under 23
subsection (2) of this section. This subsection does not apply to 24
tenants residing in subsidized housing. 25
(4) A landlord who removes a tenant or causes a tenant to be 26
removed from a dwelling in any way in violation of this section is 27
liable to the tenant for wrongful eviction, and the tenant prevailing 28
in such an action is entitled to the greater of their economic and 29
noneconomic damages or three times the monthly rent of the dwelling 30
at issue, and reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs.31
(5) Nothing in subsection (2)(d), (e), or (f) of this section 32
permits a landlord to end a tenancy for a specified period before the 33
completion of the term unless the landlord and the tenant mutually 34
consent, in writing, to ending the tenancy early and the tenant is 35
afforded at least 60 days to vacate. 36
(6) All written notices required under subsection (2) of this 37
section must: 38
(a) Be served in a manner consistent with RCW 59.12.040; and39
p. 7 HB 2022
(b) Identify the facts and circumstances known and available to 1
the landlord at the time of the issuance of the notice that support 2
the cause or causes with enough specificity so as to enable the 3
tenant to respond and prepare a defense to any incidents alleged. The 4
landlord may present additional facts and circumstances regarding the 5
allegations within the notice if such evidence was unknown or 6
unavailable at the time of the issuance of the notice.7
Sec. 2. RCW 59.18.650 and 2024 c 321 s 409 are each amended to 8
read as follows: 9
(1)(a) A landlord may not evict a tenant, refuse to continue a 10
tenancy, or end a periodic tenancy except for the causes enumerated 11
in subsection (2) of this section and as otherwise provided in this 12
subsection. 13
(b) If a landlord and tenant enter into a rental agreement that 14
provides for the tenancy to continue for an indefinite period on a 15
month-to-month or periodic basis after the agreement expires, the 16
landlord may not end the tenancy except for the causes enumerated in 17
subsection (2) of this section; however, a landlord may end such a 18
tenancy at the end of the initial period of the rental agreement 19
without cause only if: 20
(i) At the inception of the tenancy, the landlord and tenant 21
entered into a rental agreement between six and 12 months; and22
(ii) The landlord has provided the tenant before the end of the 23
initial lease period at least 60 days' advance written notice ending 24
the tenancy, served in a manner consistent with RCW 59.12.040.25
(c) If a landlord and tenant enter into a rental agreement for a 26
specified period in which the tenancy by the terms of the rental 27
agreement does not continue for an indefinite period on a month-to-28
month or periodic basis after the end of the specified period, ((the 29
landlord may end such a tenancy without cause upon expiration of the 30
specified period only if:31
(i) At the inception of the tenancy, the landlord and tenant 32
entered into a rental agreement of 12 months or more for a specified 33
period, or the landlord and tenant have continuously and without 34
interruption entered into successive rental agreements of six months 35
or more for a specified period since the inception of the tenancy;36
(ii) The)) and the landlord has provided the tenant before the 37
end of the specified period at least 60 days' advance written notice 38
p. 8 HB 2022
that the tenancy will be deemed expired at the end of such specified 1
period, served in a manner consistent with RCW 59.12.040((; and2
(iii) The tenancy has not been for an indefinite period on a 3
month-to-month or periodic basis at any point since the inception of 4
the tenancy. However, for any tenancy of an indefinite period in 5
existence as of May 10, 2021, if the landlord and tenant enter into a 6
rental agreement between May 10, 2021, and three months following the 7
expiration of the governor's proclamation 20-19.6 or any extensions 8
thereof, the landlord may exercise rights under this subsection 9
(1)(c) as if the rental agreement was entered into at the inception 10
of the tenancy provided that the rental agreement is otherwise in 11
accordance with this subsection (1)(c))), then a landlord may end 12
such a tenancy at the end of the initial period of the rental 13
agreement without cause. 14
(d) For all other tenancies of a specified period not covered 15
under (b) or (c) of this subsection, and for tenancies of an 16
indefinite period on a month-to-month or periodic basis, a landlord 17
may not end the tenancy except for the causes enumerated in 18
subsection (2) of this section. Upon the end date of the tenancy of a 19
specified period, the tenancy becomes a month-to-month tenancy.20
(e) Nothing prohibits a landlord and tenant from entering into 21
subsequent lease agreements that are in compliance with the 22
requirements in subsection (2) of this section. 23
(f) A tenant may end a tenancy for a specified time by providing 24
notice in writing not less than 20 days prior to the ending date of 25
the specified time. 26
(2) The following reasons listed in this subsection constitute 27
cause pursuant to subsection (1) of this section: 28
(a) The tenant continues in possession in person or by subtenant 29
after a default in the payment of rent, and after written notice 30
requiring, in the alternative, the payment of the rent or the 31
surrender of the detained premises has remained uncomplied with for 32
the period set forth in RCW 59.12.030(3) for tenants subject to this 33
chapter. The written notice may be served at any time after the rent 34
becomes due; 35
(b) The tenant continues in possession after substantial breach 36
of a material program requirement of subsidized housing, material 37
term subscribed to by the tenant within the lease or rental 38
agreement, or a tenant obligation imposed by law, other than one for 39
monetary damages, and after the landlord has served written notice 40
p. 9 HB 2022
specifying the acts or omissions constituting the breach and 1
requiring, in the alternative, that the breach be remedied or the 2
rental agreement will end, and the breach has not been adequately 3
remedied by the date specified in the notice, which date must be at 4
least 10 days after service of the notice; 5
(c) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 6
least three days' advance written notice to quit after he or she 7
commits or permits waste or nuisance upon the premises, unlawful 8
activity that affects the use and enjoyment of the premises, or other 9
substantial or repeated and unreasonable interference with the use 10
and enjoyment of the premises by the landlord or neighbors of the 11
tenant; 12
(d) The tenant continues in possession after the landlord of a 13
dwelling unit in good faith seeks possession so that the owner or his 14
or her immediate family may occupy the unit as that person's 15
principal residence and no substantially equivalent unit is vacant 16
and available to house the owner or his or her immediate family in 17
the same building, and the owner has provided at least 90 days' 18
advance written notice of the date the tenant's possession is to end. 19
There is a rebuttable presumption that the owner did not act in good 20
faith if the owner or immediate family fails to occupy the unit as a 21
principal residence for at least 60 consecutive days during the 90 22
days immediately after the tenant vacated the unit pursuant to a 23
notice to vacate using this subsection (2)(d) as the cause for the 24
lease ending; 25
(e) The tenant continues in possession after the owner elects to 26
sell a single-family residence and the landlord has provided at least 27
90 days' advance written notice of the date the tenant's possession 28
is to end. For the purposes of this subsection (2)(e), an owner 29
"elects to sell" when the owner makes reasonable attempts to sell the 30
dwelling within 30 days after the tenant has vacated, including, at a 31
minimum, listing it for sale at a reasonable price with a realty 32
agency or advertising it for sale at a reasonable price by listing it 33
on the real estate multiple listing service. There shall be a 34
rebuttable presumption that the owner did not intend to sell the unit 35
if: 36
(i) Within 30 days after the tenant has vacated, the owner does 37
not list the single-family dwelling unit for sale at a reasonable 38
price with a realty agency or advertise it for sale at a reasonable 39
price by listing it on the real estate multiple listing service; or40
p. 10 HB 2022
(ii) Within 90 days after the date the tenant vacated or the date 1
the property was listed for sale, whichever is later, the owner 2
withdraws the rental unit from the market, the landlord rents the 3
unit to someone other than the former tenant, or the landlord 4
otherwise indicates that the owner does not intend to sell the unit;5
(f) The tenant continues in possession of the premises after the 6
landlord serves the tenant with advance written notice pursuant to 7
RCW 59.18.200(2)(c); 8
(g) The tenant continues in possession after the owner elects to 9
withdraw the premises to pursue a conversion pursuant to RCW 10
64.90.655; 11
(h) The tenant continues in possession, after the landlord has 12
provided at least 30 days' advance written notice to vacate that: (i) 13
The premises has been certified or condemned as uninhabitable by a 14
local agency charged with the authority to issue such an order; and 15
(ii) continued habitation of the premises would subject the landlord 16
to civil or criminal penalties. However, if the terms of the local 17
agency's order do not allow the landlord to provide at least 30 days' 18
advance written notice, the landlord must provide as much advance 19
written notice as is possible and still comply with the order;20
(i) The tenant continues in possession after an owner or lessor, 21
with whom the tenant shares the dwelling unit or access to a common 22
kitchen or bathroom area, has served at least 20 days' advance 23
written notice to vacate prior to the end of the rental term or, if a 24
periodic tenancy, the end of the rental period; 25
(j) The tenant continues in possession of a dwelling unit in 26
transitional housing after having received at least 30 days' advance 27
written notice to vacate in advance of the expiration of the 28
transitional housing program, the tenant has aged out of the 29
transitional housing program, or the tenant has completed an 30
educational or training or service program and is no longer eligible 31
to participate in the transitional housing program. Nothing in this 32
subsection (2)(j) prohibits the ending of a tenancy in transitional 33
housing for any of the other causes specified in this subsection;34
(k) The tenant continues in possession of a dwelling unit after 35
the expiration of a rental agreement without signing a proposed new 36
rental agreement proffered by the landlord; provided, that the 37
landlord proffered the proposed new rental agreement at least 30 days 38
prior to the expiration of the current rental agreement and that any 39
new terms and conditions of the proposed new rental agreement are 40
p. 11 HB 2022
reasonable. This subsection (2)(k) does not apply to tenants whose 1
tenancies are or have become periodic; 2
(l) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 3
least 30 days' advance written notice to vacate due to intentional, 4
knowing, and material misrepresentations or omissions made on the 5
tenant's application at the inception of the tenancy that, had these 6
misrepresentations or omissions not been made, would have resulted in 7
the landlord requesting additional information or taking an adverse 8
action; 9
(m) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 10
least 60 days' advance written notice to vacate for other good cause 11
prior to the end of the period or rental agreement and such cause 12
constitutes a legitimate economic or business reason not covered or 13
related to a basis for ending the lease as enumerated under this 14
subsection (2). When the landlord relies on this basis for ending the 15
tenancy, the court may stay any writ of restitution for up to 60 16
additional days for good cause shown, including difficulty procuring 17
alternative housing. The court must condition such a stay upon the 18
tenant's continued payment of rent during the stay period. Upon 19
granting such a stay, the court must award court costs and fees as 20
allowed under this chapter; 21
(n)(i) The tenant continues in possession after having received 22
at least 60 days' written notice to vacate prior to the end of the 23
period or rental agreement and the tenant has committed four or more 24
of the following violations, other than ones for monetary damages, 25
within the preceding 12-month period, the tenant has remedied or 26
cured the violation, and the landlord has provided the tenant a 27
written warning notice at the time of each violation: A substantial 28
breach of a material program requirement of subsidized housing, a 29
substantial breach of a material term subscribed to by the tenant 30
within the lease or rental agreement, or a substantial breach of a 31
tenant obligation imposed by law; 32
(ii) Each written warning notice must: 33
(A) Specify the violation; 34
(B) Provide the tenant an opportunity to cure the violation;35
(C) State that the landlord may choose to end the tenancy at the 36
end of the rental term if there are four violations within a 12-month 37
period preceding the end of the term; and 38
(D) State that correcting the fourth or subsequent violation is 39
not a defense to the ending of the lease under this subsection;40
p. 12 HB 2022
(iii) The 60-day notice to vacate must: 1
(A) State that the rental agreement will end upon the specified 2
ending date for the rental term or upon a designated date not less 3
than 60 days after the delivery of the notice, whichever is later;4
(B) Specify the reason for ending the lease and supporting facts; 5
and 6
(C) Be served to the tenant concurrent with or after the fourth 7
or subsequent written warning notice; 8
(iv) The notice under this subsection must include all notices 9
supporting the basis of ending the lease; 10
(v) Any notices asserted under this subsection must pertain to 11
four or more separate incidents or occurrences; and12
(vi) This subsection (2)(n) does not absolve a landlord from 13
demonstrating by admissible evidence that the four or more violations 14
constituted breaches under (b) of this subsection at the time of the 15
violation had the tenant not remedied or cured the violation;16
(o) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 17
least 60 days' advance written notice to vacate prior to the end of 18
the rental period or rental agreement if the tenant is required to 19
register as a sex offender during the tenancy, or failed to disclose 20
a requirement to register as a sex offender when required in the 21
rental application or otherwise known to the property owner at the 22
beginning of the tenancy; 23
(p) The tenant continues in possession after having received at 24
least 20 days' advance written notice to vacate prior to the end of 25
the rental period or rental agreement if the tenant has made unwanted 26
sexual advances or other acts of sexual harassment directed at the 27
property owner, property manager, property employee, or another 28
tenant based on the person's race, gender, or other protected status 29
in violation of any covenant or term in the lease.30
(3) When a tenant has permanently vacated due to voluntary or 31
involuntary events, other than by the ending of the tenancy by the 32
landlord, a landlord must serve a notice to any remaining occupants 33
who had coresided with the tenant at least six months prior to and up 34
to the time the tenant permanently vacated, requiring the occupants 35
to either apply to become a party to the rental agreement or vacate 36
within 30 days of service of such notice. In processing any 37
application from a remaining occupant under this subsection, the 38
landlord may require the occupant to meet the same screening, 39
background, and financial criteria as would any other prospective 40
p. 13 HB 2022
tenant to continue the tenancy. If the occupant fails to apply within 1
30 days of receipt of the notice in this subsection, or the 2
application is denied for failure to meet the criteria, the landlord 3
may commence an unlawful detainer action under this chapter. If an 4
occupant becomes a party to the tenancy pursuant to this subsection, 5
a landlord may not end the tenancy except as provided under 6
subsection (2) of this section. This subsection does not apply to 7
tenants residing in subsidized housing. 8
(4) A landlord who removes a tenant or causes a tenant to be 9
removed from a dwelling in any way in violation of this section is 10
liable to the tenant for wrongful eviction, and the tenant prevailing 11
in such an action is entitled to the greater of their economic and 12
noneconomic damages or three times the monthly rent of the dwelling 13
at issue, and reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs.14
(5) Nothing in subsection (2)(d), (e), or (f) of this section 15
permits a landlord to end a tenancy for a specified period before the 16
completion of the term unless the landlord and the tenant mutually 17
consent, in writing, to ending the tenancy early and the tenant is 18
afforded at least 60 days to vacate. 19
(6) All written notices required under subsection (2) of this 20
section must: 21
(a) Be served in a manner consistent with RCW 59.12.040; and22
(b) Identify the facts and circumstances known and available to 23
the landlord at the time of the issuance of the notice that support 24
the cause or causes with enough specificity so as to enable the 25
tenant to respond and prepare a defense to any incidents alleged. The 26
landlord may present additional facts and circumstances regarding the 27
allegations within the notice if such evidence was unknown or 28
unavailable at the time of the issuance of the notice.29
Sec. 3. RCW 59.18.370 and 2005 c 130 s 2 are each amended to 30
read as follows: 31
(1) The plaintiff, at the time of commencing an action of 32
forcible entry or detainer or unlawful detainer, or at any time 33
afterwards, upon filing the complaint, may apply to the superior 34
court in which the action is pending for an order directing the 35
defendant to appear and show cause, if any he or she has, why a writ 36
of restitution should not issue restoring to the plaintiff possession 37
of the property in the complaint described, and the judge shall by 38
order fix a time and place for a hearing of the motion, which shall 39
p. 14 HB 2022
not be less than seven nor more than thirty days from the date of 1
service of the order upon defendant. A copy of the order, together 2
with a copy of the summons and complaint if not previously served 3
upon the defendant, shall be served upon the defendant. The order 4
shall notify the defendant that if he or she fails to appear and show 5
cause at the time and place specified by the order the court may 6
order the sheriff to restore possession of the property to the 7
plaintiff and may grant such other relief as may be prayed for in the 8
complaint and provided by this chapter. 9
(2) Where the basis for an unlawful detainer action is, in full 10
or in part, a notice issued pursuant to RCW 59.18.650(2)(c), the 11
court shall conduct the hearing described in RCW 59.18.380 within 12
three court days of the plaintiff's application for an order setting 13
said hearing. Notice of this order shall be served in a manner 14
consistent with RCW 59.12.040 not less than one court day before said 15
hearing.16
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 59.18 17
RCW to read as follows: 18
The imposition of regulations on the landlord-tenant relationship 19
is of statewide significance and is preempted by the state. No city 20
or town of any class may enact, maintain, or enforce ordinances or 21
other provisions which regulate any agreement between a landlord and 22
tenant entered into under this chapter for single-family or multiple-23
unit residential rental structures or sites other than in public 24
ownership, under public management, or property providing low-income 25
rental housing under joint public-private agreements for financing or 26
provision of such low-income rental housing. This section shall not 27
be construed as prohibiting any city or town from entering into 28
agreements with private persons that regulate or control the amount 29
of rent to be charged for rental properties. 30
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 59.20 31
RCW to read as follows: 32
The imposition of regulations on the landlord-tenant relationship 33
is of statewide significance and is preempted by the state. No city 34
or town of any class may enact, maintain, or enforce ordinances or 35
other provisions which regulate any agreement between a landlord and 36
tenant entered into under this chapter for single-family or multiple-37
unit residential rental structures or sites other than in public 38
p. 15 HB 2022
ownership, under public management, or property providing low-income 1
rental housing under joint public-private agreements for financing or 2
provision of such low-income rental housing. This section shall not 3
be construed as prohibiting any city or town from entering into 4
agreements with private persons that regulate or control the amount 5
of rent to be charged for rental properties. 6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Section 1 of this act expires January 1, 7
2028.8
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Section 2 of this act takes effect January 9
1, 2028.10
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