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Information for Tenants Page 15 of 15 <br />include the name, address, and telephone number <br />or contact information for the tenant representative <br />who made arrangements to pay rent in advance, the <br />amount of rent paid in advance, and date through <br />which the rent is paid. The notice must include a <br />statement that the landlord may sell or dispose of the <br />property on or after the date through which the rent <br />is paid or at least 45 days after the second notice is <br />mailed, whichever date comes later, if the tenant rep- <br />resentative does not claim or remove the property. <br />If the landlord places the property in storage, the land- <br />lord must mail a second written notice (if this has not <br />already been done) to any known personal representa- <br />tive, designated person, emergency contact person, <br />or known successor of the tenant, and to the deceased <br />tenant at the dwelling unit address. This notice must <br />include a statement that the landlord may sell or dispose <br />of the property on or after a specified date that is at least <br />45 days after the second notice is mailed, if the tenant <br />representative does not claim and remove the property. <br />The landlord must turn over possession of the de- <br />ceased tenant’s property to the tenant representative if <br />a written request is made in a timely manner. The ten- <br />ant representative must pay the actual or reasonable <br />costs, whichever is less, of any moving and storage of <br />the property, and provide to the landlord an inventory of <br />all the removed property and a signed acknowledge- <br />ment that the tenant representative has been given <br />possession and not ownership of the property. <br />If a tenant representative does not contact the land- <br />lord or remove the deceased person’s property in a <br />timely manner, the landlord may sell or dispose of <br />the stored property, except for personal papers and <br />personal photographs. If the fair market value of the <br />property is more than $1,000, the landlord must sell <br />the property in a commercially reasonable manner. <br />All unsold property must be disposed of in a reason- <br />able manner. If the value of the stored property is less <br />than $1,000, the landlord must dispose of the property <br />in a reasonable manner. <br />The personal papers and photographs that are not <br />claimed by a tenant representative must be retained <br />for 90 days after the sale or disposal of the deceased <br />tenant’s property and must either be destroyed or held <br />for benefit of any successor of the deceased tenant. <br />No landlord or an employee of the landlord may ac- <br />quire, either directly or indirectly, a deceased tenant’s <br />property that is sold or otherwise disposed of. The <br />landlord may apply the proceeds of the sale of the <br />deceased tenant’s property toward any money owed <br />to the landlord for the actual and reasonable cost of <br />moving and storing the property, whichever is less. If <br />there is excess income, it must be held by the land- <br />lord for one year. If no claim is made on the excess <br />income before the expiration of the one year period, <br />the balance must be deposited with the Washington <br />State Department of Revenue as abandoned property. <br />The landlord must refund to the tenant representative <br />any unearned rent and give a full and specific state- <br />ment of the basis for retaining any deposit together <br />with the payment of any refund due to the deceased <br />tenant within 14 days after the removal of the property <br />by the tenant representative. <br />If a landlord knowingly violates these abandonment <br />provisions, the landlord can be liable to the deceased <br />tenant’s estate for actual damages. The prevailing <br />party in any action related to these requirements may <br />recover costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. <br />RECEIPTS <br />A landlord must provide a receipt for any payment <br />made in the form of cash by a tenant. Upon the re- <br />quest of a tenant, a landlord must provide a receipt for <br />any payment made by the tenant in a form other than <br />cash. This includes payment for rent, deposits, fees, <br />parking, storage, or any other costs associated with a <br />tenancy. See RCW 59.18.063. <br />COPIES OF DOCUMENTS <br />If a checklist describing the physical condition of a <br />rental unit is completed pursuant to RCW 59.18.260 <br />and SMC 7.24.030.C, a copy signed by both the land- <br />lord and the tenant must be provided to the tenant. <br />When there is a written rental agreement for a prem- <br />ises, the landlord must provide a fully executed copy <br />to each tenant who signs the agreement. A landlord <br />must provide one free replacement copy of the written <br />agreement if requested by a tenant during the ten- <br />ancy. See RCW 59.18.065. <br />VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION <br />Attached to this publication is information related to <br />registering to vote, and if already registered, how to <br />update your address when you move. For more infor- <br />mation go to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/elections.