Free Washington Room Rental Agreement Template

A Washington room rental agreement is the written contract for renting one bedroom in a shared home. Deposits are governed by sections 59.18.260 and 59.18.280 of the Revised Code of Washington, within the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.

Washington is unusually demanding about evidence. A landlord here cannot simply assert a deduction; the statute says what has to be attached to it.

With the statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit, the landlord must include copies of estimates received or invoices paid to reasonably substantiate damage charges.

It goes further where the landlord does the work personally. Where repairs are performed by the landlord or the landlord’s employee and a deduction is made for materials or supplies, the landlord must provide a copy of the bill, invoice or receipt. For materials already in the landlord’s possession, or bought on an ongoing basis, the cost may be documented with a bill, invoice, receipt, vendor price list or other vendor document. And where the landlord or their employee performs the repairs, the landlord must include a statement of the time spent performing them and the reasonable hourly rate charged.

In a shared house this cuts through the most common dispute of all, where a homeowner does a weekend of cleaning and repainting themselves and then names a round figure. Washington requires the hours and the rate to be written down.

The rest of the Washington room rental agreement rules run from a single document at the start.

No Checklist, No Deposit

No deposit may be collected by a landlord unless the rental agreement is in writing and a written checklist or statement is provided by the landlord to the tenant at the commencement of the tenancy, specifically describing the condition and cleanliness of, or existing damages to, the premises, fixtures, equipment, appliances and furnishings — including walls and wall paint or wallpaper, carpets and other flooring, furniture, and appliances. The checklist must be signed and dated by both landlord and tenant, the tenant gets a copy, and the tenant may request one free replacement copy.

Skipping it is expensive. A landlord who collects a deposit without providing a written checklist at the commencement of the tenancy is liable to the tenant for the amount of the deposit, and the prevailing party may recover court costs and reasonable attorney fees.

Thirty Days

Within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant vacates — or within 30 days after the landlord learns of an abandonment — the landlord must give a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit, with the required documentation, together with any refund due. Personal delivery or first-class mail to the tenant’s last known address within the 30 days satisfies it.

What Cannot Be Withheld

No portion may be withheld for wear resulting from ordinary use, nor for carpet cleaning unless the landlord documents carpet wear beyond ordinary use, nor for repair or replacement of fixtures, equipment, appliances and furnishings whose condition was not reasonably documented in that move-in checklist.

Tip: Miss the deadline and the landlord is liable for the full amount of the deposit, and is barred from raising a claim or defense for keeping any of it. Deadlines are statutory and can change, so confirm the current text before relying on one.

For a Washington room rental agreement, the clauses worth adding are:

• The signed, dated move-in checklist, covering furnishings as well as the room
• The terms and conditions under which the deposit may be withheld
• The tenant’s last known address for the statement and refund
• Which areas are shared, and how they are kept
• How utilities are divided between housemates