After Measure 1 passed in Tacoma and became the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative, the winter eviction ban became law. Tacoma's winter eviction ban runs until April 1st of the calendar year, which means that the ban expired on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024 and will go into effect once more on Friday, November 1st, 2024. As anticipated, the expiration of the winter eviction ban created a bottleneck. Writs of restitution issued during the winter ban are now backlogged at the Sheriff's office. Currently, LandlordSolutions is still waiting for Tacoma writs issued on March 12th to be processed. Any case ..read more

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, booking a show cause hearing at the King County Superior Court in Kent took 4-6 weeks. Show cause hearings are the first step in the unlawful detainer (eviction) process in Washington State. However, the unlawful detainer process typically lasts at least another month after a show cause hearing before a judgment can be reached in court. By the time a writ of restitution is ordered and an appointment with the sheriff's office can be scheduled, several more months will have passed. As of Thursday, March 7th, 2024, the next available Ex-Parte show cause hearing at th ..read more

Due to a shortage of personnel in the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, writs of restitution in Pierce County are facing a significant delay in being processed and posted. As of Friday, February 16th, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office has unprocessed writs that go back to January 24th. This delay has occurred as a result of understaffing in the Sheriff's Office, as two support staff have left their positions at the beginning of the year and only one Legal Assistant continues to process writs at the office. The Sheriff's Office anticipates bringing on new support staff team members in March. As ..read more

Jim Henderson appeared on KIRO7's Jesse Jones Show that aired on February 11th, 2024. Just like tenants, no landlord wants to go through an eviction. If we want to stop evictions and homelessness, we need to increase rental assistance. Rental assistance is an equitable solution that keeps our senior, Veteran, and disabled neighbors housed. Rental assistance should be the #1 priority for WA State lawmakers ..read more

Under the CARES Act, any housing provider that received federal loan guarantees, such as a private mortgage backed by FNMA or FHLMC, or federal funds, such as housing vouchers, federal loans, or Section 8, must give any resident in their properties 30 days notice before being able to start any unlawful detainer or eviction process. On January 9th, Division II of the Court of Appeals of the State of Washington found that a writ of restitution was wrongfully issued because a provider of public housing did not comply with CARES Act notice requirements when serving notices in this unlawful detaine ..read more

When a new law is passed, it initiates a transitional phase where courts embark on a process of interpretation and application, adapting their legal procedures and decisions to align with the new regulations. This process can lead to a variety of judicial decisions, as different Commissioners might interpret the law differently until a consensus or higher court ruling provides more definitive guidance. It's a dynamic period where the legal system molds itself around the new law, setting the stage for consistent application in future cases.   On 1/3/24, Pierce County Commissioner Terri Far ..read more

Olympia's City Council has passed a Rental Registration and Inspection Program that will require owners to pay $35 per unit annually, which is the highest cost in the state for such a program. Here are the highlights: Registry begins March 1, 2024 Inspections begin January 1, 2025 Cost - $35 per unit (fee waived for affordable housing providers) Must have current rental business license issued by the City $50 initial fee to DOR for business license, $5 to renew annually $30 City of Olympia business license endorsement (waived for nonprofits) Required to register annually to obtain and ma ..read more

by David Britton   HOW THE UNLAWFUL DETAINER PROCESS WORKS IN WASHINGTON IN 2024, AND WHAT TO EXPECT AS AN UNLAWFUL DETAINER LITIGANT Assuming you have consulted with us, or another licensed Washington attorney, and you know you have a “just cause” to evict your tenant under RCW 59.18.650(2)(a-p)[1], the following is a basic outline of how the eviction process will work in most counties, and what you will need to provide to assist your attorney in the process. I will use an unlawful detainer for nonpayment of rent under RCW 59.18.650(2)(a), the most common type of eviction, as an example ..read more

  Happy Holidays from LandlordSolutions!   'Tis the season to be jolly and celebrate the holidays with friends and family! ?   In observance of Christmas ? and for the big countdown to 2024 ? , LandlordSolutions office will be closed on the following days:   ?  Monday, December 25th, 2023  ? Closed ?  Monday, January 1st, 2024  ? Closed   Wishing you and yours the merriest of holidays and a fantastic New Year!  ? Stay safe and enjoy the festive season in good health  ✅ Warmest holiday cheers!   ..read more

Shoreline City Council passed tenant protections on December 11 by a vote of 6-1, despite significant opposition from housing providers in Shoreline and housing associations like WMFHA. Ordinance 996 establishes new protections for Shoreline tenants, in addition to those already provided under the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA, RCW, 59.18).  Many of the new changes are similar to new tenant protection laws passed in Tacoma (Landlord Fairness Code Initiative). The new tenant protections in Shoreline go into effect on Tuesday, December 19th. As of 8:30am Pacific Tim ..read more