Washington landlord repair laws: three deadlines, repair and deduct caps and a retaliation ban
RCW 59.18.070 gives a Washington landlord a deadline that depends on the defect: 24 hours for no water, heat or electricity or an imminent hazard to life, 72 hours for a refrigerator, range and oven or a major plumbing fixture the landlord supplies, and 10 days for everything else. RCW 59.18.100 then lets a tenant repair and deduct within caps.
How does a Washington tenant give notice?
In writing, delivered to the person designated under RCW 59.18.060 or to the person who collects the rent. The notice must identify the premises, the owner's name if known, and the defective condition. The tenant keeps all other legal remedies. A notice that misses one of those items is easier to dispute, so owners should still treat it seriously and ask for any missing detail promptly.
What are the deadlines?
Remedial action must begin as soon as possible, and no later than:
| Defect | Deadline |
|---|---|
| No hot or cold water, heat or electricity, or imminently hazardous to life | 24 hours |
| Refrigerator, range and oven, or a major plumbing fixture the landlord supplies unusable | 72 hours |
| All other cases | 10 days |
The deadlines do not apply where circumstances are beyond the landlord's control. Even then, the landlord must still fix the problem as soon as possible, and the landlord carries the burden of completing repairs promptly.
How does repair and deduct work in Washington?
RCW 59.18.100 has two routes. If the landlord does not start the fix in time, the tenant can hire a licensed or registered person, or a capable responsible person where no license is required, and after the work is finished and the landlord can inspect, deduct the cost from rent. That deduction is capped at two months' rent for one repair and two months' rent in any twelve-month period. If the landlord has ten days to start, the tenant waits until ten days after notice or two days after the landlord receives a good-faith estimate, whichever is later.
The second route is a small repair by the tenant. If the cost is at most one month's rent, notice was given and the work is done in a workmanlike manner, no license or estimate is needed. Deductions are limited to defects inside the unit, with a per-repair cap and a twelve-month cap of one month's rent each.
Example a made-up tenant in Tacoma pays $1,900. A broken water heater is reported on the 1st. The landlord has 24 hours if there is no hot water. If nothing happens, the tenant could hire a plumber, and the per-repair cap would be $3,800, two months' rent.
Can a Washington landlord retaliate?
No. RCW 59.18.240 bars a landlord from taking or threatening reprisals against a tenant who is in compliance with the chapter and who makes good-faith complaints to a government authority about health or safety code violations or asserts rights under the chapter. The statute counts eviction, rent increases, reduced services and added obligations as retaliation when intended primarily to retaliate. The page I read for the presumption period in RCW 59.18.250 held only a link, so I do not describe it here.
What should the owner log?
Log the time and date of every written notice, because the clock may be 24 hours. Record the category you assigned (24 hours, 72 hours or 10 days), the start of the repair, the finish and the invoice. If you claim circumstances beyond your control, write down what they were on the day they happened.
How DoorKeeping fits in Washington
DoorKeeping takes a Washington tenant's repair request as a work order tied to the unit, with the date it arrived, the photos and every reply in one thread. A work order with an urgent label makes the 24-hour and 72-hour categories visible the moment a request comes in. This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current statute and your lease before you act.
Sources
Questions
- How fast must a Washington landlord restore heat?
- As soon as possible and no later than 24 hours after notice, under RCW 59.18.070.
- How much can a Washington tenant deduct for repairs?
- For a hired repair, up to two months' rent per repair and two months in any twelve months. For a small repair done by the tenant, one month's rent each.
- Is retaliation for a repair complaint allowed in Washington?
- No. RCW 59.18.240 bars reprisals against a compliant tenant for good-faith complaints about code violations or asserting rights.