Washington Renters’ Protections May Be On the Way
“In Washington, tenants have little protection against no-cause evictions, which can leave them homeless in less than a month. Tenants have limited ability to retain their apartment once they fail to pay rent, according to Housing Justice Project Managing Attorney Edmund Witter. In contrast, a commercial tenant has 30 days to pay off the back rent whether they have a lease or not. ‘Commercial tenants actually have more protection than residential tenants in Washington state,’ Witter said. In Washington, tenants who are late on their payment can only retain their apartment if they’re on an unexpired lease and pay the full rent and legal fees within five days of an eviction notice.”