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Mandatory Disclosures – Seattle Renters

There are primarily five disclosure items to consider if you own a Puget Sound property. The first is regarding the landlord and tenant laws themselves. A summary of Washington State and City of Seattle landlord and tenant laws must be provided to tenants at least once a year. This summary highlights the obligations of both the landlord and the tenants, including the provisions regarding evictions. Tenants can recover actual damages, legal costs, and penalties through private actions against landlords who violate this law.

The second is regarding lead paint. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development requires that landlords provide prospective residents with a notice of certain known information regarding lead paint and lead-based paint hazards prior to leasing. come into force. This is a federal requirement rather than a state or local requirement, but it is a law and is required. You can find HUD’s brochure on Lead Paint and Lead Paint Hazards online at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development website. If your building was built before 1978, print the brochure, give it to your tenant, and ask him or her to sign or initial an acknowledgment that they have received and reviewed the brochure.

The third refers to deposits. The City of Seattle requires that landlords provide tenants with a written receipt for each deposit. The term “deposit” can only be used in respect of money that can be refunded. If money is not being refunded, such as a non-refundable “pet” deposit, it should not be called a “deposit.” Instead, call it something else, like “Non-Refundable Pet Service Fee.” The rental agreement must be in writing and must state what each deposit is for and what the tenant must do to get the money back. A checklist describing the condition of the unit must be completed and signed by the tenant and a signed copy provided to the tenant. Deposits must be kept in a trust account with a bank or escrow company and tenants must be informed in writing where the deposits are kept. However, the landlord is not required to pay interest to the tenants on the deposits withheld.

The fourth is regarding rent increases for Seattle renters. The City of Seattle requires landlords to notify tenants at least sixty (60) days in advance if the landlord intends to increase rents by more than ten percent (10%) within a twelve (12) period. ) months. Seattle landlords also cannot require a month-to-month tenant to stay for more than one rental period. The rental provisions that penalize a tenant for such violations cannot be enforced.

The fifth has to do with mold. The Washington State Department of Health has a website that lists Frequently Asked Questions about mold. Mold can affect human health. For some, the impact of the molds can be significant. Molds can trigger asthma attacks or allergy symptoms (not unlike hay fever). Although mold and the mycotoxins they can produce remain a subject of considerable debate, they should not be tolerated on your investment properties, even if you don’t live there. Landlords notify new tenants beginning July 24, 2005 and current tenants by January 1, 2006. Landlords must provide tenants with information about the health hazards associated with mold and what steps to take a tenant to control mold. This information can be posted in a visible public place. The Mold Brochure, which has been approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency, containing the required disclosure, can be found here.

Is there anything else I need to do to ensure a great homeowners experience?

The best thing a landlord can do to ensure a great experience for himself and his tenants is to manage firmly, but fairly. By that, I mean you need to fix issues immediately when reported, be reasonable when tenants request that things be done or improvements made, be reasonably accessible should they need to contact you for any reason (my tenants they have my cell phone number and my email address, both at work and at home), keep the property in good repair, and try to go the extra mile if you can. If unforeseeable situations arise that cause any inconvenience to your tenants, consider giving them a small break in their monthly rent simply as a gesture, even if you are not contractually obligated to do so. Even a $ 10 reduction in rent will buy a significant amount of goodwill, resulting in fewer calls, more reasonable requests over time, and if something really does go wrong, your tenants will be more willing to work with you to resolve the problem. .

Federal law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to a person or to impose different rental conditions on a person based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status (having children or seeking custody of children) or national origin. national. State law also provides protection to the same people with respect to marital status, creed, the presence of sensory, mental or physical disability. Anyone who feels they may have been a victim of housing discrimination can file a written complaint with the Washington State Human Rights Commission or the Federal Fair Urban Housing Section of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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