Know Your Rights
Thanks to the hard work of Tenants Union members and their allies, tenants in Washington State have won significant legal protections. However, there is no state or local agency which enforces landlord/tenant law: tenants have to do it for ourselves. This is why the Tenants Union has a tenants rights hotline and provides extensive information on the internet.
It is crucial for tenants to be informed about their legal rights
and defend these hard-won protetions when they are violated by
landlords and management companies. However, these legal rights don't
always go far enough in securing tenants the rights that we deserve. 
The Basics
Every Washington State tenant should know this basic information about tenants rights and landlords responsibilities.
Repairs
Many tenants have difficulty getting their landloards to take care of necessary repairs in a timely fashion. Below is some information on how to get your landlord to do the right thing.
- Landlord's Obligations
- Local Code Enforcement Agencies
- Moving Out
- Options for Getting Repairs
- Rent Escrow
- Repair and Deduct
- Suing Your Landlord
More Information for Washington State Tenants
Special Information for Tenants in the City of Seattle
Tenants in Seattle have organized to win several important laws which provide tenant protections that go beyond the rights granted by Washington State landlord/tenant law. These rights apply only to tenants who live inside the city limits of Seattle.
- 60-Days Notice of Large Rent Increases
- Just Cause Eviction Ordinance
- Rental Agreement Regulation Ordinance for Seattle Tenants
- Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance
Sample Letters
We provide sample letters to cover some of the most common situations when tenants need to put it in writing.
- Notice of Intent to Vacate
- Notice of Intent to Vacate Because of Unmade Repairs
- Notice of Privacy Violation
- Notice of Repairs Needed
- Request for Deposit Return
Disclaimer: The information contained in or linked to the Tenants Union website is for informational purposes only. The Tenants Union makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to its web site.
The Tenants Union cannot act as your attorney, and its staff members are not attorneys. The Tenants Union makes no representations, expressed or implied, that the information contained in or linked to its web site can or will be used or interpreted in any particular way by any governmental agency or court. As legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and laws are constantly changing, nothing provided herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel.