This page is designed as a resource for Tenants. Landlords are typically best served with direct representation as Judges tend to punish even the smallest mistake.
At present, our firm is only handling Deposit Return & Collection Issues relating to residential tenancies. If you have another issue and you are a Tenant, start with Housing Justice Project or call for a referral. If you are a landlord and have another issue, please call for a referral.
We appreciate you coming to our website and considering our firm to assist you. We encourage all potential clients to consider free resources prior to retaining us if your matter is simple and the amount in controversy makes sense. If you have questions, give us a call to see how we can help.
The page you are on now is for Tenant Resources. Below is our big list or resource pages by area of law. Continue down the page for the specific Tenant Resources.
Disclaimer: No attorney client relationship is formed by use of any of the below links, forms, instructions, or third party sites. These resources are provided free of charge for use on a pro se (without an attorney) basis. We recommend that you consult with our firm or a firm or other agency of your choosing to fully understand your rights, the availability of counter claims, and other relevant issues.
These two websites provide answers to frequently asked questions about tenant rights ranging from how to request repairs to how to respond to an eviction complaint.
Sometimes you are facing the prospect of homelessness due to the inability to pay your rent or because you have recently been evicted. Start here to see if there may be help for you.
This is perhaps the very best resource if you are facing an eviction and simply need assistance getting some extra time to vacate. Housing Justice Project will help you in your hearing but is not chartered for complex litigation, counter claims, or significant legal work.
Moderate means is a low bono option when pro bono representation is not available. Depending upon your budget and issues, this might be a viable choice.
Disclaimer– This triage guide is not designed to be legal advice, substitute for legal advice, and you should seek legal advice regarding your legal needs. What this triage guide is designed to do is to recommend the best path to free help.
NOTE: Services that we provide will be in Green
Application discrimination: This can often be difficult to prove and often requires a disparate impact analysis. This type of litigation is expensive and in our opinion best done by a government agency, large pro bono agency, or larger class action law firm.
Recommendation: Contact housing justice project, Northwest Justice Project, WA Attorney General Consumer Protection Division to start.
Breaking Your Lease: In general, you can obtain all the advice you need without consulting our firm either online for free or via pro bono resources. For complex situations, times when you want a private attorney review to double check free advice, or if the landlord will not comply with your requests, you can contact a private attorney. Unfortunately we do not offer that service.
Recommendation: Go to Washington Law Help or Tenants Union website or in person to housing justice project first. In most instances, you or a pro bono attorney will write a letter to your landlord and that will resolve the situation. If not, contact a private attorney. Unfortunately we do not offer that service.
Cash for Keys: In general, you are asking for extra time or money in this scenario. This is something you or a pro bono attorney can handle. If the cash for keys is predicated upon a significant legal defense, legal harm, and/or bodily harm, that is when you want to contact us to ensure you do not waive important rights or claims.
Recommendation: For normal situations where you need time/cash, self negotiate or contact Housing Justice Project.
Code Violations & Habitability Issues: To prevail or obtain relocation on this type of case, you need to follow a process. That process is to 1) notify your landlord of the problems/violations in writing (send certified to prove you mailed it as well as email/fax, 2) give your landlord a chance to fix the issue, 3) if landlord fails to fix, go to the city and request an inspection, 4) if the landlord still does not comply/fix, call us or another firm/organization to protect your rights.
Recommendation: Start with housing justice project or WA Legal Help to create the initial letter. Follow the process. Call a private attorney if the landlord does not fix or comply. In most instances, the landlord will fix or comply and you will not need our assistance and you will save money doing the initial dispute on your own. We do not offer this service.
Collection & Deposit Return: If a landlord fails to follow the rules under RCW 59.18.280, either as to timeline, as to itemization, or is requesting unreasonable amounts, the best solution is to sue in most instances. If you sue and prevail, you may be entitled to 2 x your deposit and attorney fees.
Recommendation: Call us for a free initial phone consultation. Defending against collections and unfair creditor charges is the core of our practice. 206-535-2559.
Discrimination: This can often be difficult to prove and often requires a disparate impact analysis. This type of litigation is expensive and in our opinion best done by a government agency, large pro bono agency, or larger class action law firm.
Recommendation: Contact housing justice project, Northwest Justice Project, WA Attorney General Consumer Protection Division to start.
Domestic Violence, Criminal Activity, Gang Activity (RCW 59.18.580): Generally this situation is resolved with a letter to your landlord. Once you make your complaint in writing, most landlords will comply with the law. If not, call a private attorney.
Recommendation: Go to WA Law Help or Housing Justice Project to help prepare a letter to your landlord, send certified as well as by fax and email.
Ejectment Action Defense: Ejectments are generally messy and can sometimes be dangerous. In most instances you are dealing with family or friends and the possibility of domestic violence, battery, and allegations of theft or violations of law are likely. Litigating or defending these type of cases is also expensive. Even if the law favors you, generally, we advise you to move out if it is possible.
Recommendation: We recommend leaving the situation as fast as you are able. If you are unable or unwilling to, head to Housing Justice Project to see how they can help.
Eviction and Unlawful Detainer Defense: We do not offer eviction defense services. The Housing Justice Project is free. There are also private attorneys if need be. You are welcome to follow up with us for a free consultation if a judgment is entered against you in attempting to resolve the debt.
Recommendation: Generally always go to Housing Justice Project to start. If its simple, they will tell you. If its above their head or charter, they will also tell you and refer you to a private attorney.
Habitability Issues: see code violations.
Harassment: If based on protected class, see Discrimination. If based on non-protected class reasons, this is a very case by case analysis on your options. Harassment usually requires a great deal of evidence and can be costly to litigate so you need to make sure your evidence is strong and ability to recover
Recommendation: For protected class, see Discrimination. For non-protected class, we recommend starting at Housing Justice Project to see what your options are.
HOA/COA/Co-Op Issues: Usually these issues involve repairs to the unit or common area or with following the CC&R’s. In general if you comply with the CC&R’s or the 10 day warning to comply you will be fine. If it involves repairs, your landlord may be required to give you accommodations or release you from your lease.
Recommendation: Start with Housing Justice Project or WA Legal Help as in most instances a letter or compliance will solve the situation.
HUD/ Section 8/ Public Housing Issues: Usually you want to start off with your case worker and use an informal conference to try to resolve issues. If that fails, Housing Justice Project and/or Columbia Legal Services are well suited to assist. We generally do not recommend our services on these issues due to cost-benefit analysis.
Recommendation: Start with Housing Justice Project.
Insurance (Renters) & Bad Faith Denial: If your renters insurance is not willing to cover a claim, skip the pro bono’s, call us. It will require either a strongly worded demand or a bad faith insurance denial claim.
Recommendation: Call us or an equivalent firm that handles bad faith insurance denial claims.
Mold: To prevail on a mold claim, you are going to need to have a certified mold tester verify its presence and a Doctor to find that the mold caused the conditions you are dealing with. If you have not yet developed symptoms, you need to notify your landlord to fix or possibly look at terminating your lease.
Recommendation: If you have not yet developed medical conditions, go to Housing Justice Project to request mold redediation and/or review lease break options. If you suspect you are experiencing a medical condition caused by mold, get a mold tester out and go to your Doctor to document that your medical harm was caused by the mold.
Personal Property Damage or Loss: Depending upon the circumstances, a Landlord may be within their rights to put your property on the street corner and the weather/thieves/etc may have their way with it without compensation to you. If, however, your landlord violated the law and/or intentionally or negligently allowed your property to be destroyed, you have a case most likely.
Recommendation: Go to Housing Justice Project to see if your property was properly or improperly damaged. If it was improperly harmed, call us.
Relocation: see Code Violations & Habitability. This includes fire, sewage spills, acts of God, and other issues that make it difficult or impossible to live in your home.
Recommendation: Go to Housing Justice Project or check online at WA Law Help or Tenants Union.
Rent Raises (more than 10% requires 60 days notice): Landlords generally can raise the rent any amount they like with proper notice. There are times that retaliation or discrimination may apply.
Recommendation: Go to Housing Justice Project or check online at WA Law Help or Tenants Union.
Retaliation: This typically requires you to have taken some action to enforce or protect your rights and the landlord retaliates in some form or fashion. Many actions a landlord takes may appear like retaliation but may be legally allowed. We recommend a trip to Housing Justice Project to confirm that your landlord engaged in illegal retaliation.
Recommendation: Go to Housing Justice Project first to ensure you are dealing with illegal retaliation.
Roommate Issues (eviction, restraining orders, other issues): The famous philosopher Jean Paul Sartre said “Hell is other people.” If you are looking at this service you likely agree. The problem here is that as these are people that live with you, you are at risk of domestic violence, real or fabricated allegations, and usually an unclear path to financial recovery if you do sue and prevail.
Recommendation: Start with pro bono options with Housing Justice Project and online with WA Law Help to see if there are free options to resolve.
Seattle Municipal Code & Just Cause Violations: See Eviction & Ejectment sections.
Tenant Buyout & Sale of Home/Building: See Cash for Keys.
Utility Issues & Overcharging: If you see that a landlord is charging you a flat number or if the bill seems larger than you would think, likely there is a violation of law.
Recommendation: Most pro bono groups do not offer litigation services for this type of litigation, giving us a call is likely your best start.
