How Long Does My Landlord Have to Make Repairs in Washington?

If you're a renter in Washington, you're in luck—state laws are super specific about how long your landlord has to begin making a repair. There are three different timelines laid out in the law, depending on how serious the problem is:

• 24 hours: If you're dealing with a lack of electricity, heat, or running water (both hot and cold), your landlord must start repairs within 24 hours of your written request. Same deal applies if the problem with your rental is "hazardous to life."

• 72 hours: If your problem is a broken refrigerator, oven, stove, or major plumbing fixture, then your landlord has three days to start fixing it—assuming that the broken appliance was supplied by the landlord. So, if you bought your own fridge, it wouldn't be the landlord's responsibility to repair it.

• 10 days: All other types of repairs must be started within 10 days of your written request.

If circumstances outside of your landlord's control (like a backordered part, for instance) make it impossible for them to begin the repair in the time allotted, they're allowed to extend the timeline—but they are still required to start as soon as possible. Also, your landlord isn't just required to start the repair. They're also expected to follow up and make sure it gets done correctly and in a timely manner.

If the allotted time has passed without a repair, you have a few different options: hire someone to fix the issue and take that cost out of your rent, stop paying rent entirely, or leave right away using a legal concept called constructive eviction. You could also consider suing your landlord for damages.

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