Did you know... CONTRACTOR REFERRALS   Referring a contractor who is not licensed, bonded and insured increases your liability and puts your clients at risk.  The person hiring someone who is not licensed, bonded and insured becomes potentially responsible for damage caused by unlicensed workers as well as medical bills and loss of wages for workers hurt on the job. Furthermore, […]
Did you know... Assignment & Subletting – Commercial Leasing Most commercial leases prohibit a tenant from assigning or subleasing the leased premises to another party without first obtaining the landlord’s consent.
Did you know... 2016 Coldwell Banker Award Winners
Did you know... Confidential Documents Not only is it common sense to shred confidential documents, it’s also Federal Law.  The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) requires that all information taken from consumer reports must be shredded before disposal.  Consumer reports include credit reports and scores, residential or tenant records, check writing histories (tenant ledgers) and insurance claims.  The […]
Did you know... UTILITIES There are limitations on a landlord’s responsibility for utility bills not paid by a tenant.  If a municipality (for example, Seattle City Light or Tacoma PUD) fails to notify the owner that a tenant has not paid a utility bill, the municipality cannot place a lien on the property nor may it collect delinquent charges […]
Did you know... SEATTLE, AGAIN!! In Seattle, you cannot serve a tenant with a notice to vacate, based on the owner’s intention to sell the property, after a purchase and sale agreement has been signed. Within the Seattle City limits, the owner must cite the reason for the eviction or lease termination. If the owner intends to sell the property, […]
Did you know... SPRING AHEAD
Did you know... CREDIT REPORTS It is a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act for a landlord to show anyone a tenant’s credit report without the tenant’s written permission.  Even the buyer of a property with a tenant in place does not have the right to see the existing tenant’s credit report unless the tenant gives permission. We are […]
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Did you know... Accessory Dwelling Units Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) require a permit. There may be additional requirements depending on the location.  A legal ADU must have one of its units occupied by the property owner, usually as a permanent and principal residence. If permitted as an ADU, if the owner moves out, s/he may not rent out both units to […]
Did you know... But It’s MY house, isn’t it?
Did you know... MAKING SENSE OF SEATTLE RENTAL REGULATIONS? The Seattle City Council passed an ordinance limiting move in costs for tenants on 12/11/16.  The measure includes the following provisions: The total amount of security deposits and non-refundable fees (including screening fees) is limited to a maximum of the amount of the first full month’s rent. Other than non-refundable move-in fees, security deposits, and […]
Did you know... TENANT BANKRUPTCY If a tenant files bankruptcy and includes rent in the action, an “automatic stay” goes into effect. This means that no legal action can be taken against the tenant without the permission of the bankruptcy court. Even if an eviction action has already been started, the property cannot be recovered without the approval of the […]
Did you know... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Did you know... Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays
Did you know... DEFINE A “LANDLORD” The Washington State Landlord Tenant Act defines the landlord as anyone designated as a representative of the owner, including, but not limited to, an agent, resident manager or property manager.  The landlord is required to provide a mailing address either in the lease or prominently displayed at the rental property.  The law further requires any […]
Did you know... HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Did you know... SELLING A RENTAL WITH TENANT? More than just title needs to be transferred at closing if the transaction is regarding a tenant occupied property.  Both funds and information need to be transferred: Tenant deposits, including pet or cleaning deposits Prepaid rent, including last month’s rent deposit Proration of monthly rent, if closing is mid-month Tenant lease Move in inspection report […]
Did you know... Criminal History & Tenant Screening Washington State’s Attorney General’s office has indicated that when screening rental applicants, treating criminal history as cause for an automatic denial is discriminatory.  The AG’s office has filed against a Tacoma property management company because they told a prospect that a felony conviction would be an automatic denial. According to the court decree, the issue […]
Did you know... SEASONAL RENTAL MARKET The rental market in the Puget Sound region is very seasonal. Highest demand is during the summer months. Traditionally the market slows after schools starts and is slowest during the holiday season.  While there are tenants searching year round, if tenants have a choice on when to move, it isn’t usually during the winter months.  Despite […]
Did you know... ROOMMATES ARE PEOPLE TOO!! Roommates are protected under the Washington State Residential Landlord Tenant Act. We’ve had two calls recently from real estate brokers involved in a property sale where the seller resides in the home and has a roommate/tenant and the tenant is refusing to move out.  If there is no written agreement, the tenant is, by statute, […]