Ensuring Your Rental Agreements Conform to Local Laws

RHAWA leasing forms are very thorough and include most of the information and legal clauses needed to form a legal rental agreement throughout Washington State. However, our legal forms are not complete and legal contracts without you entering the term variables that are compliant with your local laws and attaching any required addenda. Let’s take a look at the tools we provide for putting together a lease that meets your needs and complies with your local laws.

1. Select one of the four RHAWA leasing forms:

• WA Single-Family Rental Agreement (must have cause to terminate)
• WA Single-Family Term Lease (can terminate without cause under state law)
• WA Multi-Family Rental Agreement (must have cause to terminate)
• WA Multi-Family Term Lease (can terminate without cause under state law)

2. You MUST reference the Leasing Requirements by Local Jurisdiction while filling in all the fields in the RHAWA leasing form. While it is not an addendum to be attached, it is a critical document that helps you to fill out the lease terms so they comply with all state and local laws. Now it’s time to attach the mandatory addenda.

3. The Property Condition Checklist
Must be filled out with detailed documentation of the pre-move-in condition of the home and signed by the landlord and tenant prior to the landlord collecting any security deposit, pet deposit, etc. That same checklist must be kept on file and completed with move-out details. The pre/post condition descriptions are used to assess damages that will be deducted from the deposit(s) at move-out.

4. The Mold Handout
Must be provided to all tenants at move-in per Washington law. RHAWA also provides an optional addendum that the tenant can sign to document receipt of the Mold Handout.

5. The Lead-based Paint Pamphlet and Disclosure Addendum
Required on homes built prior to 1978 under law enforced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

6. Local Law Disclosure Addendum (Tenant rights information required in some jurisdictions.)
Based on the city where the rental property is located, a “Local Law Disclosure” may be required. In most of the cities listed below, the distribution of a tenant’s rights disclosure document is required at all lease signings or each year of tenancy, and when updated by the city. In many cases, a hard copy is required at the initial lease signing. You will find links to all of these on the forms page under the leasing forms.

• Renting in Auburn
• Renting in Burien Handbook
• Renting in SeaTac Guide
• Seattle Renter’s Handbook
• Renting in Tacoma: A Guide for Landlords and TenantsRenting in Tumwater: A Guide for Landlords and Tenants
• Tukwila: A Guide to Landlord and Tenant Issues
• Woodinville: A Notice of Tenant Rights

7. Other mandatory form(s) (Other addenda required in some jurisdictions.)

• Bellingham: Rent and Fee Summary (attach as first page of lease/agreement)
  Seattle: Residential Parking Agreement / Addendum & Instructions (Required for multifamily, 2+ units)
• Seattle: Resident Billing Utility Notice (Required for multifamily, 3+ units)
• Spokane: Disclosure of contamination or pending sale of property required before lease signing.
• Tacoma: Installment Payment Plan Request (All applicants must be informed of the option to pay move-in costs in installments. Must use Tacoma’s installment form.)
• Tacoma Required Lease Clause Addendum (Several specific lease clauses are required by
• Tacoma. RHAWA has included these in this Tacoma addendum.)

8. Copy of Property Registration or License
Required in some jurisdictions – check with your city.

9. Notary Form for Landlord Signature
Required by WA state law on any lease with a term longer than one year.

10. Agency Disclosure and Pamphlet
Required for transactions where either party is represented by a licensed real estate broker.

11. Notice of Occupancy Rights under VAWA (Form HUD-5380) and Domestic Violence Certification (Form HUD-5382)

RHAWA provides several other optional lease addenda that you can use to add all kinds of things to your agreement, from move-in cost installments to septic tank details. Peruse the list at RHAwa.org/rental-forms-leases-notices to see if it makes sense to add any to your lease. Have an idea for an additional addendum form? Contact Denise Myers at dmyers@RHAwa.org