Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18 § 59.18.352
Threatening behavior by tenant -- Termination of agreement -- Written notice -- Financial obligations.
Operative Text
If a tenant notifies the landlord that he or she, or another tenant who shares that particular dwelling unit has been threatened by another tenant, and: (1) The threat was made with a firearm or other deadly weapon as defined in RCW 9A.04.110 ; and (2) The tenant who made the threat is arrested as a result of the threatening behavior; and (3) The landlord fails to file an unlawful detainer action against the tenant who threatened another tenant within seven calendar days after receiving notice of the arrest from a law enforcement agency; then the tenant who was threatened may terminate the rental agreement and quit the premises upon written notice to the landlord without further obligation under the rental agreement. A tenant who terminates a rental agreement under this section is discharged from payment of rent for any period following the quitting date, and is entitled to a pro rata refund of any prepaid rent, and shall receive a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit together with any refund due in accordance with RCW 59.18.280 . Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a landlord to terminate a rental agreement or file an unlawful detainer action.
Washington law under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.352 establishes a specific exit right for tenants who have been threatened by a fellow tenant using a firearm or other deadly weapon. If the threatening tenant is arrested and the landlord does not file an unlawful detainer action within seven calendar days of receiving notice of that arrest from law enforcement, the threatened tenant may walk away from the lease by providing written notice. Once that notice is given, the departing tenant's financial obligations under the rental agreement end on the quitting date, and they are entitled to a pro-rata refund of prepaid rent along with a full accounting of any deposit withholding under RCW 59.18.280.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.352, property owners and managers who receive notice from law enforcement of a tenant's arrest for threatening another tenant with a deadly weapon face a seven-calendar-day window to file an unlawful detainer action if they wish to preserve the threatened tenant's obligation to remain under the lease. Compliant operators typically track the date they receive official arrest notice from law enforcement and document their response within that window. Regardless of the path taken, landlords remain obligated to provide a full and specific statement of any deposit deductions and any applicable refund in accordance with RCW 59.18.280 when a tenancy ends under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.352 gives tenants who have been threatened by a co-tenant with a firearm or deadly weapon a potential right to exit their lease early without financial penalty, provided the threatening tenant was arrested and the landlord did not file an unlawful detainer action within seven calendar days of receiving law enforcement notice of that arrest. To exercise this right, a tenant generally provides written notice to the landlord, after which rent obligations end on the quitting date and a pro-rata refund of prepaid rent is owed. Tenants who believe this provision applies to their situation may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid service to understand the written-notice process and their rights to a deposit accounting under RCW 59.18.280.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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