Mandatory Landlord Disclosures in Washington

Landlords are required to provide tenants with specific information before they sign a lease. There are only a handful of these “mandatory disclosures” for landlords in Washington, compared to longer lists in other states. Seattle expands on these requirements somewhat, in order to further protect renters in the city.

All U.S. landlords must follow the federal lead disclosure rule

Under federal law, landlords of properties built before 1978 must include a warning statement in leases about lead-based paint and its potential hazards. They’re also required to give tenants an informational pamphlet about lead-based paint hazards. This is the only disclosure that’s required on the national level.

Washington landlords must disclose their screening criteria in advance

Landlords in Washington are required to disclose certain things about the tenant screening process before gathering information about a potential tenant. These disclosures must be made in writing, and include:¹

• The type of information that will be gathered
• The criteria used to approve or deny an application
• The name and address of any consumer reporting agency used
• That the applicant has a right to a free copy of any consumer report and to dispute its accuracy

Landlords must provide additional safety information before signing a lease

Washington landlords must provide several disclosures to their tenants before they sign a lease. This includes information about mold, fire safety, and more.

Mold information

Whether or not mold exists in the unit, landlords must provide potential tenants with information about health hazards associated with toxic mold and how they can control mold growth. The Washington Department of Health provides free informational packets that can be printed and used to fulfill the notice requirements. These materials can either be given to tenants directly or posted somewhere visible on the property.² Landlords who purposely fail to provide this information can be sued by tenants if mold becomes a problem.

Fire safety

Prospective tenants must receive information on the building’s fire protection and safety protocols.³ This includes:

• The building’s fire safety plan (including a diagram of emergency exit routes)
• Notice of a smoke detector in the unit
• Notice that the tenant must keep the detector in working condition

If applicable, landlords must also inform tenants of any fire evacuation plan or smoking policy. This information should be provided as a written notice or a checklist.

Identity of the landlord or designated agent

Landlords must provide tenants with their full name and address, either in the lease agreement or in a visible note on the premises.⁴ If the landlord doesn't live in-state, they must also designate someone in the county where the property is located to serve as the recipient for any legal documents.

Nonrefundable fees

If a landlord wants to charge a nonrefundable move-in fee for things like cleaning, they must clearly specify the purpose of the fee and the amount in the lease.⁵ If the lease doesn’t specify that the fees are nonrefundable, they’re treated as refundable deposits.

Landlords in Seattle who want to charge either a security deposit or a non-refundable move-in fee must mention in the lease:⁶

• When and why landlords may keep the security deposit
• A checklist on the condition of the rental
• The payment schedule for the security deposit and fees

Seattle requires additional landlord disclosures

Landlords in Seattle are required to give potential tenants a summary of the city and state landlord-tenant laws, as well as voter registration information and a voter registration form.⁷

Seattle also requires parking rent and housing rent to be separated in certain leases.⁸ Landlords must provide potential tenants either a standalone parking contract or a lease parking addendum. In either document, the parking terms and fees should be clearly outlined. Prospective tenants who don’t want to lease parking on the property don't have to sign any document that requires a parking fee.

There are several more provisions that Seattle landlords must include in a rental agreement, including information about pet damage deposits. A complete list can be found in the Seattle Municipal Code’s rental agreement requirements.

Related articles

[1] RCW §59.18.257

[2] RCW §59.18.60

[3] RCW §59.18.60

[4] RCW §59.18.60

[5] RCW §59.18.285

[6] Seattle Municipal Code §7.24.035

[7] Seattle Municipal Code §7.24.080

[8] Seattle Municipal Code §7.24.030