Seattle Notice To Terminate Tenancy. Terminating A Month To Month Tenancy In Seattle: Fill & Download for Free

Typically, yes they can refuse to renew your lease.In WA you usually have either a fixed term lease (typically a year but it can be for any period) or a month to month lease.For a fixed term lease the state law is very clear:59.18.220Termination of tenancy for a specified time—Armed forces exception.(1) In all cases where premises are rented for a specified time, by express or implied contract, the tenancy shall be deemed terminated at the end of such specified time.For month to month leases, it depends on being in or out of the City of Seattle. Outside the City of Seattle either party can terminate the lease with at lease 20 days notice before the end of the lease period (usually the end of the month).59.18.200Tenancy from month to month or for rental period—Termination—Armed forces exception—Exclusion of children—Conversion to condominium—Notice.(1)(a) When premises are rented for an indefinite time, with monthly or other periodic rent reserved, such tenancy shall be construed to be a tenancy from month to month, or from period to period on which rent is payable, and shall be terminated by written notice of twenty days or more, preceding the end of any of the months or periods of tenancy, given by either party to the other.Within the City of Seattle limits a landlord has to comply with the City’s Just Cause Ordinance which means a month to month lease can only be terminated for one of eighteen reasons like not paying your rent, getting four or more late payment notices in a 12 month period etc.I’m assuming that you have been told by your landlord that they are not renewing your lease perhaps the next step is to politely ask the landlord (preferably in writing) as to why they are not renewing the lease. It may have nothing to do with you, like they want to move into the home themselves or it may be something that you have done like not look after the home adequately. If it’s the later, you may have an opportunity to correct the issue and stay. Even if you don’t stay, you will have learned the reason why, so in your next home you don’t repeat the same issue.

Is it difficult to evict a tenant (Seattle) I don’t like?You can’t evict someone JUST because you “don’t like” him/her. Not in Seattle. Not anywhere.If your tenant has a lease, then the lease will specify what reasons a tenant CAN be evicted. And there’s a legal procedure you MUST follow for the eviction. I doubt the “causes for eviction” includes “landlord doesn’t like tenant”.Unless there’s a lease violation, your ONLY option is simply to not renew the lease when it expires. Just make sure you give the tenant the proper notice -as specified in the lease - that the lease won’t be renewed (it’s usually 30–60 days in most places). If the lease doesn’t specify, give at least 30 days notice anyway to avoid being a jerk and letting your tenant assume the lease will be renewed or that they’ll be allowed to stay as month-to-month tenants.If there’s no lease, then you’re in a slightly better position, but because this IS a tenant (as opposed to a squatter), you must still go through a legal eviction process. The city of Seattle has a “Just Cause” ordinance that requires you to give a reason for terminating a month-to-month tenancy.Seattle LawsThe Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (JCEO) requires that Seattle landlords have just cause reasons to terminate tenancy or evict month-to-month or other periodic tenants (tenants who pay rent weekly or twice a month). There are 18 total just causes listed in the ordinance – many more than there were in the past. Just causes for eviction include rent nonpayment, noncompliance with lease terms, chronically late rent payments, and the intention of the landlord to occupy the unit themselves or rent the unit to an immediate family member. The notice required for each just cause reason varies.

The eviction moratorium has nothing to do with your issue as it only applies for non-payment of rent. A lease ending is not affected by that moratorium.If it is a Just Cause Eviction or sale of the house, or the landlord or immediate family member wants to move in you must give a 90 day noticeMy recommendation would be to serve them with the default notice to terminate tenancy with the reason that the landlord or immediate family member wants to move into the house. You would need to get it to them immediately. Get it to them by April 1st with the end date as the last day of the lease (June 30th).If they move out you have no issues. If they decide they want to stay and you have to evict, that could take awhile. Even in that case the moratorium does not apply as it is not an eviction for non-payment of rent. It will take longer than normal for the eviction as I suspect the courts are running slower. They have caught up in my state as they restarted evictions 9 months ago.