When The Landlord Will Not Fix It
RCW 59.18.070 — 24 hours for heat or water, 72 for major appliances, ten days for the rest
In Washington, the landlord keeps the premises in substantial compliance with codes affecting health and safety, keeps structural parts in reasonably good repair, keeps common areas clean and safe, provides locks and keys, keeps electrical, plumbing and heating facilities in reasonably good working order, keeps the unit weathertight, and provides facilities for heat, water and hot water.
| After written notice, when the condition | The landlord starts the repair within |
|---|---|
| After written notice, when the conditionLeaves the tenant without hot or cold water, heat or electricity, or is imminently hazardous to life | The landlord starts the repair withinTwenty-four hours |
| After written notice, when the conditionLeaves the tenant without a refrigerator, range and oven, or a major plumbing fixture the landlord supplied | The landlord starts the repair withinSeventy-two hours |
| After written notice, when the conditionAnything else | The landlord starts the repair withinTen days |
If the landlord does not start in time after the notice and the tenant's good faith estimate, the tenant may have the work done by a licensed or responsible person and, after the landlord has a chance to inspect, deduct the cost from rent, up to two months' rent per repair and two months' rent in any twelve-month period.
A landlord may not retaliate against a tenant in compliance with the chapter for a good faith complaint to a government authority, or for asserting the tenant's rights, by eviction, raising rent, reducing services, or increasing the tenant's obligations.
Sources for this section (4)
- RCW 59.18.060 — Landlord duties
- RCW 59.18.070 — Landlord failure to perform duties; notice from tenant; time limits
- RCW 59.18.100 — Repairs effected by tenant; deduction of cost from rent
- RCW 59.18.240 — Reprisals or retaliatory actions by landlord prohibited
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.