Source: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/how-to-delay-an-eviction-in-washington.html
Timestamp: 2018-05-22 18:12:43
Document Index: 15175472

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 59', '§ 59', '§ 59', '§ 59', '§ 59', '§ 59']

How to Delay an Eviction in Washington | Nolo.com
How to Delay an Eviction in Washington
In Washington, you can be evicted for a number of different reasons, including not paying rent or violating your lease or rental agreement. However, there may be a few things a tenant can do to postpone the eviction, or perhaps even stop it altogether.
Understanding Eviction Notices in Washington
If your landlord decides to evict you, you will first receive a written notice that states the reason for the eviction and a time period to either comply with the notice, if possible, or move out of the rental unit. In Washington, you could typically receive one of four types of eviction notices, depending on the reason for the eviction:
Three-day notice to pay rent or quit: You will receive this notice because you failed to pay rent. Under this notice, you will have three days to either pay rent in full or move out of the rental unit (see Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 59.12.030(3)).
Ten-day notice to cure or quit: You will receive this notice because you violated the lease or rental agreement. Under this notice, you will have ten days to either fix the violation or move out of the rental unit (see Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 59.12.030(4)).
Three-day unconditional quit notice: You will receive this notice because you seriously damaged the rental unit, committed an illegal act at the rental unit, or created a nuisance at the rental unit. Under this notice, you will have three days to move out of the rental unit, with no opportunity to fix the violation (see Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 59.12.030(5)).
Twenty-day notice to quit: You will receive this notice if you have a month-to-month rental agreement that the landlord wishes to end. Under this notice, you will have 20 days to move out of the rental unit (see Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 59.18.200).
For more information, see The Eviction Process in Washington. Also, if you are being evicted because the rental property is being foreclosed, see the Nolo article Rights of Renters in Foreclosure.
If you are being evicted for not paying rent or violating the lease, then your eviction notice will state the reason for the eviction. If you comply with the eviction notice by either paying all the rent due and owing or correcting the lease violation, then, in Washington, the landlord must not proceed with the eviction (see Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §§ 59.12.030).
If you do not comply with the eviction notice and you and your landlord are not able to reach an agreement, then your landlord can file the eviction lawsuit with the court. You will receive a copy of your landlord’s court paperwork, and you will then be required to file an answer in response to your landlord’s complaint. An answer is a document that allows you to state the reasons why you should not be evicted. This is where you need to put any defenses to the eviction, such as the landlord not making necessary repairs to the rental unit. In Washington, a rental unit is required to have working heat and electricity and running water, among other things. If the landlord fails to maintain the rental unit, then you might be able to use this as a defense against the eviction (see Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 59.18.060). For more ideas on possible defenses against an eviction, see Tenant Defenses to Evictions in Washington. You should also contact a lawyer to ensure you are using the best defenses available to you.
You must file an answer if you wish to postpone or stop the eviction. If you do not file an answer, then the judge will rule in the landlord’s favor, and the eviction will proceed, most likely without a hearing. For more information on the eviction process, see the article Eviction Process, published by the Washington State Tenant’s Union.
If you do file an answer, then a hearing will be scheduled. You must attend this hearing. At the hearing, the judge will consider both sides of the argument and make a decision.