Month-to-Month Tenant

A month-to-month tenant is a person who rents for an indefinite time, with monthly or periodic rent reserved. Due to changes in Washington State law in 2021, a landlord may no longer evict a month-to-month tenant for any reason (or no reason) on 20 days’ notice. Tenants may now only be evicted for specific reasons constituting “for cause.” The Washington State legislature dramatically changed this area of law, and before any action is taken, we highly recommend you consult one of our attorneys to avoid unnecessary expenditure of time, energy, and money.

Tenant’s Duties

Under Washington law, a tenant has a duty to:

1. Pay the rent at the time and in the manner provided for in the lease;
2. Keep the rented premises clean and sanitary;
3. Properly dispose from the rented premises all rubbish, garbage, and other organic or flammable waste, in a clean and sanitary manner at reasonable and regular intervals, and assume all costs of extermination and fumigation for infestation caused by the tenant;
4. Properly use and operate all electrical, gas, heating, plumbing and other fixtures and appliances supplied by the landlord;
5. Not intentionally or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove any part of the rented premises, or allow any other person to do so;
6. Not create or permit a nuisance or common waste;
7. Not engage in drug-related or gang-related activity at the rented premises, or allow drug-related or gang-related activity at the rented premises;
8. Maintain any smoke detection devices in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, including the replacement of batteries where required for the proper operation of the smoke detection device;
9. Not engage in any activity at the rented premises that is hazardous to persons, that entails physicals assaults upon persons, that entails unlawful use of a firearm or deadly weapon, or that is threatening.

Landlord’s Duties

Under Washington law, a landlord has a duty to:

1. Maintain the rented premises to substantially comply with applicable codes, statutes, ordinances or regulations;
2. Maintain the roofs, floors, walls, chimneys, fireplaces, foundations, and all other structural components in reasonably good repair so as to be capable of resisting any and all normal forces and load to which the may be subjected;
3. Keep any shared or common areas reasonably clean, sanitary, and safe. Provide a reasonable program for the control of infestation by insects, rodents, and other pests at the initiation of the tenancy and, except in the case of a single family residence, control infestation during tenancy except where such infestation is caused by the tenant;
4. Except normal wear and tear, make repairs and arrangements necessary to put and keep the premises in as good condition as it by law or rental agreement should have been, at the commencement of the tenancy;
5. Provide reasonably adequate locks and furnish keys to the tenant; Maintain all electrical, plumbing, heating, and other facilities and appliances supplied by the landlord in reasonably good working order;
6. Maintain the rented premises in reasonably weather tight condition;
7. Except in the case of a single family residence, provide and maintain appropriate receptacles in common areas for the removal of ashes, rubbish, and garbage, incidental to the occupancy and arrange for the reasonable and regular removal of such waste;
8. Except where the building is not equipped for the purpose, provide facilities adequate to supply heat and water and hot water as reasonably;
9. Provide a written notice to tenants disclosing certain fire safety and protection information;
10. Under certain circumstances, provide tenants with information provided or approved by the department of health about the health hazards associated with exposure to indoor mold;
11. Designate to the tenant the name and address of the person who is the landlord by a statement on the rental agreement or by a notice conspicuously posted on the premises.