Requirements for a Habitable Apartment in Washington

State law in Washington is pretty specific about the requirements for a rental unit to be considered livable—including things like providing electricity and keeping common areas clean.¹ Landlords are required to:

• Maintain structural components including (but not limited to) the roofs, floors, walls, chimneys, fireplaces, and foundations so they are functional and in reasonably good repair
• Keep any shared or common areas reasonably clean, sanitary, and safe from issues that would increase the chance of fires or accidents
• Provide a reasonable pest control program at the start of the tenancy to curb infestation by insects, rodents, and other pests
• Control any infestations during the tenancy, unless it was caused by the tenant (or in the case of a single-family residence)
• Make any repairs and arrangements necessary to ensure the premises are in good condition (as defined by the law or the lease agreement) at the start of the tenancy—except where the condition is attributable to normal wear and tear
• Provide reasonably adequate locks and give the tenant the keys
• Maintain and safeguard with reasonable care any master key or duplicate keys to the rental
• Maintain all electrical, plumbing, heating, and other facilities and appliances supplied by the landlord in reasonably good working order
• Maintain the rental unit in reasonably weathertight condition
• Provide and maintain trash cans in the common areas and arrange for the reasonable and regular removal of such waste (except in the case of a single-family residence)
• Supply heat and water and hot water as reasonably required by the tenant
• Equip the rental with a smoke detection device
• Keep the residence in compliance with all other applicable housing codes

If a landlord doesn’t abide by these laws, a tenant has several legal options to get them to make a repair.

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[1] RCW 59.18.260