HOW WE CAN HELP
We are primarily debt specialists. As part of resolving debts, this includes debts and issues related to tenancies. We can provide litigation, settlement, negotiation, bankruptcy, and strategy options for debts and claims related to your tenancies. This also includes advise and options for lease break/termination fees and just cause eviction defense.
WHAT TYPE OF CASES DO WE TAKE
- Collections defense & counterclaims for tenancy related collections
- We take all cases where the damages alleged exceed $5,000.00
- If under $5,000.00, we take cases where a counter claim or defense applies
- Deposit return cases and fraud in claimed damages
- Eviction defense for just cause violations (RCW 59.18.650)
- Fire/water damage claims where the landlord, another tenant, or an insurance company is suing you
- Lease break/termination consultations, negotiations, and strategy to include for failure to repair
- Resolving past due rents (bankruptcy, settlement, litigation, and strategy options)
COMMON COUNTERCLAIMS AND DEFENSES ON COLLECTION/DEPOSIT CASES
- FDCPA, FCRA, RCW 19.16, RCW 19.86, RCW 59.18, RCW 59.20, RCW 59.12, Fraud, Conversion
- Claiming deposits are forfeit (and not even accounting for them or zeroing them out)
- Not applying a pet deposit fee to pet damage alleged
- There is no depreciation on carpet or other high ticket items
- They are claiming that you damaged hard assets and they need to be completely replaced, such as fridges, stoves, counter tops
- You see estimates, not actual invoices with specific amounts.
- You see “round” numbers. This indicates taxes were not charged and likely are estimates or made up.
- Upgrading the quality of a replacement item (so cheap tiles to nice wooden floor)
WHAT CASES DO WE NOT TAKE
- Discrimination claims (start with Human Rights Commission and HUD)
- Habitability claims (start with City Code Enforcement)
- Landlord Side Issues to include Evicting Tenants
- Mold personal injury issues (this is less a tenant claim than an injury claim)
- Section 8 Issues/Litigation (Columbia Legal Services is a good start)
- Most issues not listed in the areas of cases that we take
PRO BONO REFERRALS
- Housing Justice Project- provides eviction defense only on a first come first served basis
- General Knowledge on Rights: Solid Ground, Tenants Union, and/or Washington Law Help
- See Our Full Tenant Resources Page
TIME SENSITIVE ISSUES
- Eviction Cases- These are extremely time sensitive. You need to reach out as soon as you receive any predicate notice (intent to move in, 3 day, 10 day, etc.) and let us know your time frame. If you have a show cause and hearing date, let us know immediately. Call in for instructions and to ensure we are available to assist prior to completing the intake and waiting for a reply.
- Notice of Appearance– If you have been sued you have 20 days to answer. Be sure to submit a notice of appearance timely, even if you have already been scheduled and are just waiting to talk to us. Instructions and form in the link. This applies only to collection cases, not to eviction cases.
INITIAL CONSULTATION FEES
- Bankruptcy options to resolve tenant debt (free)
- Collection Defense on a tenant debt (free if we only have to review the complaint and damage itemization)
- Eviction Defense for Just Cause Violation ($150.00, we have to review the lease, notices, circumstances, etc.)
- Fire/Water Damage Claims (free is we only need to review 10 or fewer pages of documents)
- Lease Break/Termination ($150.00, we have to review the lease and circumstances)
- Other: case by case basis, call for specifics. Our general rule is we charge when we need to review more than 10 pages to assist you in a matter. Not all situations require a full review of your lease (such as collections defense or bankruptcy options) but most substantive tenant rights require a review of your lease, the relevant code, and circumstances (meaning we charge).
SCHEDULING
Cut and paste the form below into an email, pdf, or word document and send to us. For a response within 24-72 hours, email to info@wadebtlaw.com. If you need a faster response, call in directly at 206-535-2559 to speak with one of our staff. If your requested service has a fee, that will need to be paid prior to your appointment, call for instructions.