Title 59 — Title 59 LANDLORD AND TENANT

Tenancies from year to year are hereby abolished except when the same are created by express written contract. Leases may be in writing or print, or partly in writing and partly in print. Nothing in this section shall be construed in any manner to conflict with or supersede RCW 5…

When premises are rented for an indefinite time, with monthly or other periodic rent reserved, such tenancy shall be construed to be a tenancy from month to month, or from period to period on which rent is payable, and shall be terminated by written notice of thirty days or more,…

In all cases where premises are rented for a specified time, by express or implied contract, the tenancy shall be deemed terminated at the end of such specified time.[Code 1881 s 2055; 1867 p 101 s 3; RRS s 10620.]

When a tenant fails to pay rent when the same is due, and the landlord notifies him or her to pay said rent or quit the premises within ten days, unless the rent is paid within said ten days, the tenancy shall be forfeited at the end of said ten days.[ 2010 c 8 s 19001; Code 1881…

Whenever any person obtains possession of premises without the consent of the owner or other person having the right to give said possession, he or she shall be deemed a tenant by sufferance merely, and shall be liable to pay reasonable rent for the actual time he or she occupied…

This chapter does not apply to any rental agreement included under the provisions of chapter 59.18 RCW.[ 1973 1st ex.s. c 207 s 45.]

In cases of default in the payment of rent for real property where the stipulated rent or rental value does not exceed forty dollars per month, no notice to quit or pay rent, other than filing and serving a summons and complaint, as hereinafter provided, shall be required to rend…

The superior court of the county in which the real property or some part thereof is situated shall have jurisdiction of proceedings for the recovery of possession of said real property alleged to be wrongfully detained.[ 1941 c 188 s 2; Rem. Supp. 1941 s 814-2.]

Such proceedings shall be commenced by the filing of a complaint executed under oath by the owner or landlord or his or her authorized agent. It shall be sufficient to state in such complaint a description of the property with reasonable certainty, that the defendant is in posses…

Upon the filing of such complaint it may be presented to the judge, and by order he or she shall forthwith fix a place and time for the trial of said cause, not more than ten days after the date of making the order. A copy of the complaint, together with a copy of the summons spe…

No continuance shall be granted for a longer period than two days unless the defendant applying therefor shall give good and sufficient security, to be approved by the court, conditioned upon the payment of rent accrued and to accrue, if judgment be rendered against the defendant…

At the time and place fixed for the hearing, the court shall proceed to examine the parties orally to ascertain the merits of the complaint, and if it shall appear that there is no reasonable doubt of the right of the plaintiff to be restored to the possession of said property, t…

If the defendant feels aggrieved at an order of restitution, he or she may within three days after the entry of the order file a bond to be approved by the court in double the amount of the rent found to be due, plus two hundred dollars, conditioned for the payment and performanc…

The filing and service of a complaint under this chapter shall be equivalent to the notice required to pay rent or surrender possession under RCW 59.12.030.[ 1941 c 188 s 8; Rem. Supp. 1941 s 814-8.]

The sheriff's fee shall be the same as in other civil actions.[ 1961 c 304 s 7; 1941 c 188 s 9; Rem. Supp. 1941 s 814-9.]Notes:County clerk's fees: RCW 36.18.020.Sheriff's fees: RCW 36.18.040.

The plaintiff shall not be required to give bond to the defendant or the sheriff for the issuance or execution of the writ of restitution, and the sheriff shall not be liable for damages to the defendant for the execution of the writ of restitution hereunder, but any such damage …

This chapter does not apply to any rental agreement included under the provisions of chapter 59.18 RCW.[ 1973 1st ex.s. c 207 s 46.]

Every person is guilty of a forcible entry who either—(1) By breaking open windows, doors or other parts of a house, or by fraud, intimidation or stealth, or by any kind of violence or circumstance of terror, enters upon or into any real property; or—(2) Who, after entering peace…

Every person is guilty of a forcible detainer who either—(1) By force, or by menaces and threats of violence, unlawfully holds and keeps the possession of any real property, whether the same was acquired peaceably or otherwise; or—(2) Who in the nighttime, or during the absence o…

Except as limited under RCW 59.18.650 relating to tenancies under chapter 59.18 RCW, a tenant of real property for a term less than life is liable for unlawful detainer either:(1) When he or she holds over or continues in possession, in person or by subtenant, of the property or …

An unlawful detainer action, commenced as a result of a trustee's sale under chapter 61.24 RCW, must comply with the requirements of RCW 61.24.040 and 61.24.060.[ 2009 c 292 s 11.]

In all cases of tenancy upon agricultural lands, where the tenant has held over and retained possession for more than sixty days after the expiration of his or her term without any demand or notice to quit by his or her landlord or the successor in estate of his or her landlord, …

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2664.SL) ***Any notice provided for in this chapter shall be served either (1) by delivering a copy personally to the person entitled thereto; or (2) if he or she be absent from the premises unlawfully held, by leaving there a copy, with some person of…

The superior court of the county in which the property or some part of it is situated shall have jurisdiction of proceedings under this chapter.[ 1891 c 96 s 6; RRS s 815. Prior: 1890 p 75 s 5.]Notes:Venue and jurisdiction, generally: RCW 2.08.010 and chapter 4.12 RCW.

No person other than the tenant of the premises, and subtenant, if there be one, in the actual occupation of the premises when the complaint is filed, need be made parties defendant in any proceeding under this chapter, nor shall any proceeding abate, nor the plaintiff be nonsuit…

The plaintiff in his or her complaint, which shall be in writing, must set forth the facts on which he or she seeks to recover, and describe the premises with reasonable certainty, and may set forth therein any circumstances of fraud, force or violence, which may have accompanied…

The summons must state the names of the parties to the proceeding, the court in which the same is brought, the nature of the action, in concise terms, and the relief sought, and also the return day; and must notify the defendant to appear and answer within the time designated or …

(1) When the plaintiff, after the exercise of due diligence, is unable to personally serve the summons on the defendant or defendants, the court may authorize the alternative means of service described in this section.(2) Upon filing of an affidavit from the person or persons att…

The plaintiff at the time of commencing an action of forcible entry or detainer or unlawful detainer, or at any time afterwards, may apply to the judge of the court in which the action is pending for a writ of restitution restoring to the plaintiff the property in the complaint d…

The sheriff shall, upon receiving the writ of restitution, forthwith serve a copy thereof upon the defendant, his or her agent or attorney, or a person in possession of the premises, and shall not execute the same for three days thereafter, nor until after the defendant has been …

The plaintiff or defendant at any time, upon two days' notice to the adverse party, may apply to the court or any judge thereof for an order raising or lowering the amount of any bond in this chapter provided for. Either party may, upon like notice, apply to the court or any judg…

If on the date appointed in the summons the defendant does not appear or answer, the court shall render judgment in favor of the plaintiff as prayed for in the complaint.[ 1989 c 342 s 2; 1891 c 96 s 13; RRS s 822. FORMER PART OF SECTION: 1891 c 96 s 14 now codified as RCW 59.12.…

On or before the day fixed for his or her appearance the defendant may appear and answer or demur.[ 2010 c 8 s 19012; 1891 c 96 s 14; RRS s 823. Formerly RCW 59.12.120, part.]

Whenever an issue of fact is presented by the pleadings it must be tried by a jury, unless such a jury be waived as in other cases. The jury shall be formed in the same manner as other trial juries in the court in which the action is pending; and in all cases actions under this c…

On the trial of any proceeding for any forcible entry or forcible detainer the plaintiff shall only be required to show, in addition to a forcible entry complained of, that he or she was peaceably in the actual possession at the time of the forcible entry; or, in addition to a fo…

When upon the trial of any proceeding under this chapter it appears from the evidence that the defendant has been guilty of either a forcible entry or a forcible or unlawful detainer, in respect of the premises described in the complaint, and other than the offense charged in the…

Amendments may be allowed by the court at any time before final judgment, upon such terms as to the court may appear just, in the same cases and manner and to the same extent as in civil actions.[ 1891 c 96 s 19; RRS s 828. Prior: 1890 p 80 s 20.]

If upon the trial the verdict of the jury or, if the case be tried without a jury, the finding of the court be in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant, judgment shall be entered for the restitution of the premises; and if the proceeding be for unlawful detainer after …

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the provisions of the laws of this state with reference to practice in civil actions are applicable to, and constitute the rules of practice in the proceedings mentioned in this chapter; and the provisions of such laws relative to new…

The court may relieve a tenant against a forfeiture of a lease and restore him or her to his or her former estate, as in other cases provided by law, where application for such relief is made within thirty days after the forfeiture is declared by the judgment of the court, as pro…

A party aggrieved by the judgment may seek appellate review of the judgment as in other civil actions: PROVIDED, That if the defendant appealing desires a stay of proceedings pending review, the defendant shall execute and file a bond, with two or more sufficient sureties to be a…

When the defendant shall appeal, and shall file a bond as provided in RCW 59.12.200, all further proceedings in the case shall be stayed until the determination of said appeal and the same has been remanded to the superior court for further proceedings therein.[ 1891 c 96 s 23; R…

If a writ of restitution has been issued previous to the taking of an appeal by the defendant, and said defendant shall execute and file a bond as provided in this chapter, the clerk of the court, under the direction of the judge, shall forthwith give the appellant a certificate …

Every person who shall unlawfully use, or encourage or assist another in unlawfully using, any force or violence in entering upon or detaining any lands or other possessions of another; and every person who, having removed or been removed therefrom pursuant to the order or direct…

That any person who shall, without the permission of the owner and without having any color of title thereto, enter upon the lands of another, and shall refuse to remove therefrom after three days' notice, shall be deemed guilty of unlawful detainer and may be removed from such l…

The complaint in all cases under the provisions of this chapter shall be upon oath, and there shall be embodied therein or amended thereto an abstract of the plaintiff's title, and the defendant shall, in his or her answer, state whether he or she makes any claim of title to the …

It shall not be necessary for the plaintiff, in proceedings under this chapter, to allege or prove that the said lands were, at any time, actually occupied prior to the defendant's entry thereupon, but it shall be sufficient to allege that he or she is the legal owner and entitle…

All persons in actual possession of any portion of the several subdivisions of any section of land, according to the government surveys thereof, may be made defendants in one action: PROVIDED, That they may, in their discretion, make separate answers to the complaint, and if sepa…

RCW 59.18.010 through 59.18.420 and 59.18.900 shall be known and may be cited as the "Residential Landlord-Tenant Act of 1973", and shall constitute a new chapter in Title 59 RCW.[ 1973 1st ex.s. c 207 s 1.]

Every duty under this chapter and every act which must be performed as a condition precedent to the exercise of a right or remedy under this chapter imposes an obligation of good faith in its performance or enforcement.[ 1973 1st ex.s. c 207 s 2.]