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Page 12 of 15 Information for Tenants <br />Retaliatory actions. [RCW 59.18.240 -.250] If the ten- <br />ant exercises rights under the law, such as complaining <br />to a government authority or deducting for repairs, the <br />law prohibits the landlord from taking retaliatory action. <br />Examples of retaliatory actions are raising the rent, <br />reducing services provided to the tenant, or evicting <br />the tenant. The law initially assumes that these steps <br />are retaliatory if they occur within 90 days after the ten- <br />ant’s action, unless the tenant was in some way violat- <br />ing the statute when the change was received. If the <br />matter is taken to court and the judge finds in favor of <br />the tenant, the landlord can be ordered to reverse the <br />retaliatory action, as well as pay for any harm done to <br />the tenant and pay the tenant’s attorney fees. <br />ENDING THE AGREEMENT <br />Proper Notice to Leave for Leases. If the tenant <br />moves out at the expiration of a lease, in most cases it <br />is not necessary to give the landlord a written notice. <br />However, the lease should be consulted to be sure a <br />formal notice is not required. If a tenant stays beyond <br />the expiration of the lease, and the landlord accepts <br />the next month’s rent, the tenant then is assumed to <br />be renting under a month-to-month agreement. <br />A tenant who leaves before a lease expires is <br />responsible for paying the rent for the rest of the lease <br />term. However, the landlord must make an effort to re- <br />rent the unit at a reasonable price. If this is not done, <br />the tenant may not be liable for rent beyond a reason- <br />able period of time. <br />Proper Notice to Leave for Leases—Armed Forces <br />Exception. A lease can be terminated when the <br />tenant is a member of the armed forces (including <br />the national guard or armed forces reserve), if the <br />tenant receives reassignment or deployment orders, <br />provided the tenant informs the landlord no later than <br />seven days after the receipt of such orders. In these <br />circumstances, the tenancy may also be terminated <br />by the tenant's spouse or dependent. <br />Proper Notice to Leave for Month-to-Month Agree- <br />ments. When a tenant wants to end a month-to- <br />month rental agreement, written notice must be given <br />to the landlord. <br />The notice must be received at least 20 days before <br />the end of the rental period (the day before the rent <br />is due). The day which the notice is delivered does <br />not count. A landlord cannot require a tenant to give <br />more than 20 days notice when moving out. When a <br />landlord wants a month-to-month renter to move out, <br />a 20-day notice is required. If a tenant moves out <br />without giving proper notice, the law says the tenant <br />is liable for rent for the lesser of: 30 days from the <br />day the next rent is due, or 30 days from the day the <br />landlord learns the tenant has moved out. However, <br />the landlord has a duty to try and find a new renter. If <br />the dwelling is rented before the end of the 30 days, <br />the former tenant must pay only until the new tenant <br />begins paying rent. <br />Proper Notice to Leave for Month-to-Month <br />Agreements—Armed Forces Exception. A month- <br />to-month tenancy can be terminated with less than <br />20 days written notice when the tenant is a member <br />of the armed forces (including the national guard or <br />armed forces reserve), if the tenant receives reas- <br />signment or deployment orders that do not allow for <br />a 20-day notice. In these circumstances, the ten- <br />ancy may also be terminated by the tenant's spouse <br />or dependent. <br />Domestic Violence Protection. If a tenant or a <br />household member is a victim of an incident of <br />domestic violence, sexual assault, unlawful harass- <br />ment, or stalking, the tenant may terminate their rental <br />agreement without penalty, change the locks on their <br />unit at their own expense, or both. The tenant must <br />notify the landlord in writing that they or a household <br />member were a victim of one of the above crimes and <br />either provide a copy of a valid order for protection <br />or a report of the incident from a qualified third party <br />to the landlord. Qualified third parties include law <br />enforcement officers, court officials, licensed mental <br />health professionals, doctors, and victim advocates. <br />The tenant must terminate the rental agreement within <br />90 days of the incident leading to the protection order <br />or report to a qualified third party. The protection <br />order or third party’s report must be made available to <br />the landlord within 7 days of the tenant moving out of <br />the unit or at the same time the tenant gives notice to <br />the landlord that the locks have been changed. [RCW <br />59.18.570 - 590] <br />RETURN OF DEPOSITS [RCW 59.18.280] <br />After a tenant moves out, a landlord has 21 days in <br />which to return a deposit, or give the tenant a writ- <br />ten statement of why all or part of the money is being <br />kept. It is advisable for the tenant to leave a forward- <br />ing address with the landlord when moving out. <br />The rental unit should be restored to the same condi- <br />tion as when the tenant moved in, except for normal <br />wear and tear. Deposits cannot be used to cover <br />normal wear and tear; or damage that existed when <br />the tenant moved in. <br />The landlord is in compliance if the required payment, <br />statement, or both, are deposited in the U.S. Mail with <br />First Class postage paid, within 21 days. If the tenant <br />takes the landlord to court, and it is ruled that the land- <br />lord intentionally did not give the statement or return the <br />money, the court can award the tenant up to twice the <br />amount of the deposit.