Tenant Intake Page

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.

 

Tenant Intake Form

Please complete the contact information and cosigner/co-tenant information for all cases.  Then determine which service or services that you require below.  Complete each section as appropriate.  Do not answer any section where you are not requesting that service.  Cut and paste all question and answers into an email.  Attach any requested documentation to that email.  Email the completed package to info@wadebtlaw.com or any specific email that one of our staff gives you.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION: Please list full legal name, preferred name, phone, and email.  If there are any specific instructions (hearing impaired, email contact only, etc. please let us know).

 

COSIGNER/CO-TENANT/S: Please list full legal name and nature of relationship for each co-signer and co-tenant (excepting minor children).  We are primarily concerned about knowing of anyone who is or could be responsible under the lease.

 

COLLECTION DEFENSE INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUESTED INFORMATION

NOTE- this is when damages EXCEED the deposit, we will review for deposit violations in addition to other defenses

1. Documents needed to review: a) Itemization of damages at move out, b) any demands for payment, c) any complaint received

2. If you are in the garnishment stage, has it been more than a year since your first garnishment?

3. Amount of the claim

4. Please list any defenses that you believe apply? (fake charges, mistaken identity, etc.)

5. Short statement indicating date moved in, date moved out, name of property manager (if known), name of landlord (if known), name of any collection agencies contacting you (if known), and name of any attorney or law firm involved (if known).  Include any relevant information or narratives that support your defenses or anything else we might need to know to defend you.

 

DEPOSIT RETURN INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUESTED INFORMATION

Note- This is for when you receive either no money back or some money back, but no claim for damages above your deposit.  In general, we only take cases where the fraud is obvious and provable (such as claiming they replaced the carpets but did not in fact replace them).

1. Required documents: itemized damages list

2. Short statement explaining your dispute over any specific charge and any other relevant information that you think we would need to understand your situation.

 

EVICTION DEFENSE INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUESTED INFORMATION

1. Required documents: a) copy of lease, b) any notices that you received (3 day, 10 day, 20 day, 60 day, etc.).  Note, we will need to charge $150.00 for the consult due to expected 20+ pages of legal documents that we need to review.

2. Short statement explaining any potential defense that you may believe apply.  This could be that the violations cited by the landlord are false, there is discrimination, that the house is not listed on the MLS when they are claiming they are selling, etc.

 

LEASE BREAK/TERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUESTED INFORMATION

1. Required documents: a) copy of lease, b) any police reports, domestic violence protection orders, restraining orders, deployment orders, or other relevant documents, c) if regarding a repair, any communications to the landlord about the repair to include screen shots of texts/emails, letters, etc.  Note, we will need to charge $150.00 for the consult due to the expected 20+ pages of legal documents and evidence that we need to review.

2. Short statement explaining why you are wanting to break the lease.  This could be anything from criminal activity, domestic violence, job loss and needing to move, etc.  If it involves a repair issue, include the nature of the issue, communications to the landlord, and any accommodations that you have had to make (such as no bathroom and have to go to public restrooms, no water and using the shower at the gym, etc.).

 

OTHER SITUATIONS INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUESTED INFORMATION

If none of the situations above apply but your issue does not fall into a category we do not normally handle, contact us by phone for guidance.  Be prepared to provide what you to believe to be relevant documents and a brief narrative of what your issue is.