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When a tenant violates the lease agreement in some way in Washington state, the residential landlord or their authorized agent may choose to create and serve a Washington eviction notice. Also known as a notice to quit, this written notice is used when the tenant fails to follow the lease or rental agreement in some way and that they have a certain amount of time to correct the problem or vacate the property (curable violation).
All Washington eviction notices are subject to the state’s landlord-tenant laws, known as the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18). This is the first action taken in the legal eviction process, known as an unlawful detainer. After service, the renter must refuse to comply with the notice for the landlord to have the legal right to file an eviction lawsuit in an attempt to receive either a default judgment or a writ of restitution, depending on the circumstances of the eviction action.
Before using an eviction notice or before beginning an eviction case, landlords should seek legal advice. A notice to terminate the tenancy, an eviction summons, and the remainder of the eviction proceeding process can be extremely confusing. It's important that you understand the process and follow it so that you're able to gain legal control of the process and, if necessary, even enter into a payment plan with the renter. A lawyer can help ensure that you're well prepared for a show cause hearing as well as for the remainder of the unlawful detainer action.
