The best magazine
- While the rental agreement or lease is the basic document governing the rights of a renter, in Washington state, the Residential Landlord Tenant Act, local housing codes and the common law of implied covenants all grant a renter certain rights even when not specifically stated in the actual rental agreement.
- Although a landlord generally has no duty to maintain a premises, at a minimum a residential renter has the right to demand that the premises comply with the local housing code and the Landlord Tenant Act. This right is absolute and includes the provision of heat, running water and hot water and making sure that the premises are "weather-tight."
- A renter has a right to demand that the premises are safe and secure. This right extends to the provision of adequate locks and working fire alarms. Furthermore, a renter has the right to demand that all public and common areas (hallways and stairwells) are properly maintained and repaired when damaged. A landlord is also required to warn a renter of any dangerous conditions or hidden defects (such as a driveway that is slippery when wet) that the landlord has knowledge of or should have knowledge of.
- A renter has the right to the enjoyment of and privacy in his rented space without interference or unreasonable disruption from the landlord. Common examples of interference include a landlord's failure to repair a long-term problem that renders the location uninhabitable (such as a gas leak), a landlord's repeated entry into the premises without notice to the renter, and a landlord excluding a renter from a portion (such as a car garage or storage closet) of the rental property.
- Absent a restriction in the rental agreement stating otherwise, a renter has the right to transfer his complete interest in the lease (assignment) or rent his interest in the lease (sublet) to a third party.
Right to Habitability
Right to Safety and Security
Right to Quiet Enjoyment and Privacy
Right to Transfer
Source: ...