Locked Out By The Landlord
RCW 59.18.290 — out only by court order, and up to $100 a day for cut utilities
Only by court order. It is unlawful for a Washington landlord to remove or exclude a tenant except under a court order. A tenant removed or excluded may recover possession or end the agreement, and in either case recover actual damages, and the winner recovers costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.
Utilities: up to $100 a day. A landlord may not intentionally cause the termination of a tenant's utility services, water, heat, electricity or gas, except briefly for necessary repairs. A landlord who does is liable for actual damages and up to one hundred dollars for each day or part of a day without the service, with costs and a reasonable attorney's fee.
Sources for this section (2)
- RCW 59.18.290 — Removal or exclusion of tenant from premises
- RCW 59.18.300 — Termination of tenant's utility services
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.