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Evictions involve removal of a tenant from a rental space due to a number of possible causes, such as non-payment of rent or violation of a lease agreement. To initiate the unlawful detainer or eviction process as set forth in RCW 59.12, 59.18, and 59.20, a landlord must first serve one or more of the statutory notices to all tenants that occupy the premises. These notices include a 3-day notice to pay rent or vacate, a 10-day notice to comply with lease agreement or vacate, or a 20-day notice to terminate tenancy; copies of the notices can be found below. After serving a notice, and if the landlord believes the tenant has not complied with the notice, then the landlord may serve a summons and complaint for unlawful detainer in order to regain possession of the premises.
After the tenant is served with summons and complaint, the tenant must answer the unlawful detainer complaint within the time deadline stated in the complaint to avoid a default judgment. If the tenant answers the complaint, RCW 59.18.370 provides the statutory basis for a show cause hearing. The possible outcomes of the show cause hearing are: (1) the unlawful detainer action will be dismissed; (2) a writ of restitution is not issued at the hearing and a trial date is set to fully decide the matter; (3) a writ of restitution is issued at the hearing and a trial date is set to decide related matters, such as past due rent and late fees, attorney fees, and court costs; and (4) a writ of restitution is entered and a trial is not granted. In the event that the case is set forth for trial, the trial date should be schedule within 30-days after the show cause hearing.
If you want to start to start an unlawful detainer or eviction case, if you need help determining how to give your tenant proper notice, or if you have some other Landlord-Tenant issues or legal questions, please feel free to call the experienced eviction attorneys at DC Law Group.
Our law practice handles matters involving landlord-tenant relations, real estate and commercial litigation, formation of corporate identities, business transactions and property transfers. We serve residents and businesses of King County, Washington and surrounding areas including Snohomish, Skagit, and Pierce Counties, our services include:
WASHINGTON EVICTION FORMS:
Landlord-tenant law varies by state. The eviction forms on this page are based on the laws of the state of Washington.
Eviction Forms that are proper in one state may not be proper for another. Also, the selection, completion, and serving of forms are all very important. You should contact an eviction attorney before taking any actions that might affect your rights.
SEATTLE SPECIFIC EVICTION FORMS: