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Keeping your rental property well-maintained doesn't just protect your investment, it also protects your tenants. According to recent data from Forbes, approximately 52% of renters in the United States spend over 30% of their income on rent.
As a landlord in Bellevue, WA, it's crucial to understand tenants' rights to repairs and maintenance.
Read on to learn all about landlord responsibilities regarding the repairs and/or maintenance of your rental property.
Washington Tenant Rights: Repairs
Bellevue rental laws are very clear about what your responsibilities are when it comes to repairs. Landlords must make all of the repairs in their property as needed, except when the tenant caused the damage.
The goal is to ensure that your property is safe and liveable for every tenant. This means you must provide adequate heat and hot water, provide working locks, maintain all of the property's structural components in a reasonable manner, and more. The state of Washington has a complete list of landlord duties, including all of the repairs you must make when renting to tenants.
Tenants' Rights to Repairs and Maintenance: Tenant Responsibilities
Of course, the tenant also has some responsibilities when it comes to tenant's rights to repairs and maintenance in Bellevue. First, tenants must keep their property clean and sanitary as part of their rental property compliance. They must also dispose of garbage from inside the property and use all of the facilities and appliances provided by the landlord.
Tenants must also ensure that the smoke detector batteries are working and must not damage the property. They are also not allowed to let guests damage the property.
Your tenant can be responsible for paying for any damages caused by themselves or their guests. However, they can't be charged for damages caused by the landlord's negligence or from normal wear and tear.
Tenant Maintenance Requests
Bellevue rental laws are very specific regarding tenant maintenance requests. Once you receive a written notice from a tenant, you have 24 hours to repair an issue that deprives the tenant of cold or hot water, heat or electricity, or if the issue is hazardous to life.
You have no more than 72 hours to repair issues that deprive the tenant of the use of their range and oven, refrigerator, or a major plumbing fixture that you supplied. You'll have no more than 10 days to address tenant maintenance requests of any other nature.
Washington state law requires you to take remedial action to begin those repairs within the timelines listed above. It also requires you to complete the repairs as quickly as possible, but it doesn't mean you have to finish them within the above timelines.
Keep Your Tenants Happy
Knowing and abiding by tenants' rights to repairs and maintenance is the best way to keep your tenants happy. It's also the best way to ensure that you protect your property and hard-earned investment.
The experienced team at Brink Property Management has 27 years of experience in the Greater Seattle, WA, and Bellevue area, so contact us today to find out how we can help you.
