Washington State Renters' Rights

Who Is Covered by This Law

Most tenants who rent a place to live come under the state's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act. However, certain renters are specifically excluded from the law.

Exclusions

Those who are generally not covered by the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act are:

• Renters of a space in a mobile home park. They are usually covered by the state's Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act.  However, renters of both a space and a mobile home are usually covered by the residential law.

• Residents in hotels and motels.

• Residents of public or private medical, religious, educational, recreational or correctional institutions.

• Tenants with an earnest money agreement to purchase the dwelling.

• Tenants who lease a single-family dwelling with an option to purchase, if the tenant's attorney has approved the lease on it's face.

• Tenants who have signed a lease option agreement but have not yet exercised that option are still covered.

• Residents of a single family dwelling which is rented as part of a lease for agricultural land.

• Residents of housing provided for seasonal farm work.

• Tenants who are employed by the landlord, when their agreement specifies that they can only live in the rental unit as long as they hold the job (such as an apartment house manager.)

• Tenants who are leasing a single family dwelling for one year or more, when their attorney has approved the exemption.

• Tenants who are using the property for commercial rather than residential purposes.

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Information taken from RCW 59.18 (Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act)

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