Tenant law in plain language
Seattle

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

Published by Nazanin · August 23, 2026

Your landlord must supply heat and keep it working. Once you give them written notice that the heat is out, they have 24 hours to start fixing it. This page lists your rights and what you can do.

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Not legal advice. Each answer below links to where it comes from. Read it before you act.

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

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.060

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

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

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.060(11)

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

  3. Your landlord must keep the heating system in reasonably good working order. The same applies to the electrical and plumbing systems.

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.060(8)

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

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

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.070

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

  5. 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.

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.070(1)

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

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

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.070

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

  7. 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.

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.090(1) Northwest Justice Project (WashingtonLawHelp.org) Tenants' rights: Moving out

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

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

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.090(2)

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

  9. 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.

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.060(11)(a)

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

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

    Washington State Legislature RCW 59.18.060(11)(b)(ii)

    ✓ Sources checked September 21, 2026

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