No Heat in Your Seattle Rental: What Can I Do?

What the law says

1. 1

   Your landlord must keep your home fit to live in for the whole time you rent it.

   Source:

   1. RCW 59.18.060, Washington State Legislature. Law.
2. 2

   Your landlord must supply enough heat, water, and hot water for you to use normally.

   Source:

   1. RCW 59.18.060(11), Washington State Legislature. Law.
3. 3

   Your landlord must keep the heating system in reasonably good working order. The same rule applies to the electrical and plumbing systems (for example, the wiring and pipes).

   Source:

   1. RCW 59.18.060(8), Washington State Legislature. Law.
4. 4

   Once you give written notice that you have no heat, your landlord has 24 hours to start fixing it. The same 24 hour limit applies to no hot water, no cold water, and no electricity.

   Source:

   1. RCW 59.18.070(1), Washington State Legislature. Law.
5. 5

   It is your landlord's job to make sure the work gets finished promptly.

   Source:

   1. RCW 59.18.070, Washington State Legislature. Law.
6. 6

   Your landlord cannot cut off your electricity or water because you did not pay. This rule applies on any day the national weather service issues a heat alert.

   Source:

   1. RCW 59.18.060(11)(a), Washington State Legislature. Law.
7. 7

   If your power or water is already cut off, you can ask for it back during a heat alert. Your landlord must try to turn it back on quickly.

   Source:

   1. RCW 59.18.060(11)(b)(ii), Washington State Legislature. Law.

Tell your landlord

8. 8

   Give your landlord written notice. Say which home it is, who owns it, and what is broken.

   Source:

   1. RCW 59.18.070, Washington State Legislature. Law.

If it is still not fixed

9. 9

   If your landlord does not fix the heat in a reasonable time, you can end your lease and move out. You must tell them in writing. You then stop owing rent from the day you leave. This works only if you strictly followed the repair notice rules and are current on rent. If not, you can owe rent until the landlord rents the home again, up to the end of your lease.

   Sources:

   1. RCW 59.18.090(1), Washington State Legislature. Law.
   2. Tenants' rights: Moving out, Northwest Justice Project (WashingtonLawHelp.org). A nonprofit group.
10. 10

    You can also take your landlord to court instead of moving out.

    Source:

    1. RCW 59.18.090(2), Washington State Legislature. Law.