The Washington Supreme Court issued a huge victory to the Washington residential landlord community in today’s decision in Housing Authority of King County v. Knight.
The Court held tenants residing in covered residential properties (where tenant’s rent is subsidized or a federally covered loan exists on the property) are entitled to the lengthier 30-Day Notice only for nonpayment of rent cases.
In all other cases (noncompliance or other behavior issues), landlords may serve the traditional 3-Day Notice to Quit or 10-Day Notice to Comply or Vacate. Moreover, landlords of covered properties may also utilize the “no-notice” procedures under the Residential Landlord Tenant Act for tenants who have engaged in drug-related activity, assault/dangerous conduct resulting in arrest, or gang-related activity.
Knight will permit landlords to vigorously protect innocent tenants by using swifter procedures to evict misbehaving tenants who are often a threat to others and their property.
The Paine Hamblen Housing Law team, led by Mack Mayo, processes hundreds of evictions per year and can assist landlords, property managers, and develops comply with the growing body of ever-evolving landlord tenant laws in Washington state and Spokane County.
