Did you know... 2020
Did you know... DEPOSIT TO “HOLD” A RENTAL PROPERTY If the landlord requires a deposit to hold a property, the applicant must receive a receipt and a written statement of any conditions under which the deposit may be retained by the landlord.  If the prospective tenant does move into the rental property, the amount of the deposit must be applied towards the first month’s […]
Did you know... PET OR ASSISTANCE ANIMAL? WHO VERIFIES? The secretary of HUD has instructed the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate websites that sell assistance animal verifications online.  Many landlords have asserted that tenants are purchasing these certificates online in order to avoid paying pet deposits, rent and/or fees and that the services selling the certificates don’t adequately verify that there is a […]
Did you know... HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Did you know... HUD, FAIR HOUSING & REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION Not responding to a rental applicant’s request for a reasonable accommodation could be considered a violation of Fair Housing.  A local sales broker who had a rental listing last year, has been notified that a Fair Housing complaint has been filed against him and his firm.  According to HUD, a potential tenant told the listing […]
Did you know... COMPLICATED? CONSIDER PROPERTY MANAGEMENT! Managing a rental property is getting more complicated every day!  Not only have changes been made on the state level, but counties and have enacted a number of regulations and are considering more.  The Rental Housing Association lists the following as considered or passed in 2019, along with policies being considered in 2020.  Anyone managing […]
Did you know... TIME TO BUY? A Forbes article recently stated that now is good time to buy an investment property.  The article cites four reasons why this is good time: Low interest rates Market shifting towards a buyer’s market Stability of an investment property in a recession Earning money through cash flow and property appreciation.  Other factors to consider are […]
Did you know... TENANT BREAKS LEASE – NOW WHAT? If a tenant breaks a lease the landlord is required to make a good faith effort to re-rent the property.  The courts typically interpret this as listing the property with the same terms offered, including the same rent, for the balance of the lease term.  If the landlord decides to sell the property instead of […]
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Did you know... NOTICE TO ENTER RENTAL PROPERTY – Washington State A landlord must give a 48-hour notice prior to entering the property for a repair or inspection.  This notice applies to the yard, if it is included in the lease.  According to the Landlord Tenant Act (RCW 59.18.150), a landlord has the right to enter a rental, provided that the landlord doesn’t, “abuse the right […]
Did you know... WHO’S WHO?? Tenant, Guest or Occupant? Tenant, Guest or Occupant?
Did you know... TENANT RESPONSIBILITIES Tenants are jointly and severally responsible for the terms of the lease.  This means that any one tenant can be held liable for all the responsibilities associated with the lease, including the entire rental payment plus payment for any damages. This also means that when the landlord completes the deposit accounting, any refund should made […]
Did you know... SERVICE ANIMALS REVISITED Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has updated definitions of service animals, this does not affect housing. The ADA deals with accommodation in public places and has a very specific definition of a service animal.  According to the ADA a service animal is one that has been “individually trained to do work or perform […]
Did you know... WASHINGTON STATE PAY RENT OR VACATE NOTICE One of the recent changes to the Residential Landlord Tenant Act changes the 3-day pay or vacate notice to a 14-day notice.  Senate Bill B 5600 also defines rent as, “recurring and recurring and periodic charges identified in the rental agreement.”  Charges for late fees, damages or legal costs cannot be included in a pay […]
Did you know... SELLING AN ADU OR IS IT A DUPLEX? An owner-occupied property with an accessory dwelling unit will be considered a duplex if sold to an investor who rents both units. Typically, is it easier to get zoning permission for an owner-occupied property with an ADU than for a duplex.  If a rental property is found to be in violation of local codes, a […]
Did you know... NOTICE TIME-FRAMES CHANGED – Washington State Changes were made to the Residential Landlord Tenant Act effective today, 7/29/19. These apply state-wide, for all residential properties – whether the landlord owns one or a thousand, whether single-family, ADU or multifamily, whether professionally managed or owner managed. A 60-day notice to increase rent will be required unless the rent amount is based on […]
Did you know... RENT – HOW MUCH – UP or DOWN HUD calculates average rents each year.  This is done in order to determine payment standards for federal housing assistance programs. In a recent report, HUD reports that Washington has the 16th highest rent in the country out of 56 states and territories. For fiscal year 2019, in the Seattle-Bellevue, metro area (King County) average rent for […]
Did you know... WASHINGTON STATE – Rental Regulations There are multiple regulations regarding rentals in Washington State.  Besides federal and state laws, many local jurisdictions also have regulations. Many cities have regulations limiting short-term rentals, which are defined as less than 30 days. Local cities with restrictions on short-term rentals include Bellevue, Kirkland, Seattle, and Kent. These often limit the number of short-term rentals an […]
Did you know... OUT WITH THE OLD & IN WITH THE NEW Washington State law specifies the procedure that must be followed before a landlord can remove or dispose of any personal property a tenant leaves behind.  It is illegal to include a clause in the lease that that waives or shortens this process.  A judge can award a tenant up to $500 per day for every […]
Did you know... RENTAL SCAMS – BEWARE!!! The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently published an advisory on how to avoid rental scams.  Scams include hijacking a real rental listing by changing the email address or other contact information and then placing the altered ad on another site. Others gain access to keys in lock boxes, make copies, and pose as legitimate rental […]