2535-S.E AMS FIET S7019.1
ESHB 2535 - S COMM AMD
By Committee on Financial Institutions, Economic Development & Trade
ADOPTED 03/03/2020
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1. RCW 59.18.170 and 1973 1st ex.s. c 207 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) If at any time during the tenancy the tenant fails to carry out the duties required by RCW 59.18.130 or 59.18.140, the landlord may, in addition to pursuit of remedies otherwise provided by law, give written notice to the tenant of said failure, which notice shall specify the nature of the failure.
(2) The landlord may not charge a late fee for rent that is paid within five days following its due date. If rent is more than five days past due, the landlord may charge late fees commencing from the first day after the due date until paid. Nothing in this subsection prohibits a landlord from serving a notice to pay or vacate at any time after the rent becomes due.
(3) When late fees may be assessed after rent becomes due, the tenant may propose that the date rent is due in the rental agreement be altered to a different due date of the month. The landlord shall agree to such a proposal if it is submitted in writing and the tenant can demonstrate that his or her primary source of income is a regular, monthly source of governmental assistance that is not received until after the date rent is due in the rental agreement. The proposed rent due date may not be more than five days after the date the rent is due in the rental agreement. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent a tenant from making a request for reasonable accommodation under federal, state, or local law.
Sec. 2. RCW 59.18.230 and 2011 c 132 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Any provision of a lease or other agreement, whether oral or written, whereby any section or subsection of this chapter is waived except as provided in RCW 59.18.360 and shall be deemed against public policy and shall be unenforceable. Such unenforceability shall not affect other provisions of the agreement which can be given effect without them.
(2) No rental agreement may provide that the tenant:
(a) Agrees to waive or to forgo rights or remedies under this chapter; or
(b) Authorizes any person to confess judgment on a claim arising out of the rental agreement; or
(c) Agrees to pay the landlord's attorneys' fees, except as authorized in this chapter; or
(d) Agrees to the exculpation or limitation of any liability of the landlord arising under law or to indemnify the landlord for that liability or the costs connected therewith; or
(e) And landlord have agreed to a particular arbitrator at the time the rental agreement is entered into; or
(f) Agrees to pay late fees for rent that is paid within five days following its due date. If rent is more than five days past due, the landlord may charge late fees commencing from the first day after the due date until paid. Nothing in this subsection prohibits a landlord from serving a notice to pay or vacate at any time after the rent becomes due.
(3) A provision prohibited by subsection (2) of this section included in a rental agreement is unenforceable. If a landlord deliberately uses a rental agreement containing provisions known by him or her to be prohibited, the tenant may recover actual damages sustained by him or her, statutory damages not to exceed five hundred dollars, costs of suit, and reasonable attorneys' fees.
(4) The common law right of the landlord of distress for rent is hereby abolished for property covered by this chapter. Any provision in a rental agreement creating a lien upon the personal property of the tenant or authorizing a distress for rent is null and void and of no force and effect. Any landlord who takes or detains the personal property of a tenant without the specific written consent of the tenant to such incident of taking or detention, and who, after written demand by the tenant for the return of his or her personal property, refuses to return the same promptly shall be liable to the tenant for the value of the property retained, actual damages, and if the refusal is intentional, may also be liable for damages of up to five hundred dollars per day but not to exceed five thousand dollars, for each day or part of a day that the tenant is deprived of his or her property. The prevailing party may recover his or her costs of suit and a reasonable attorneys' fee.
In any action, including actions pursuant to chapters 7.64 or 12.28 RCW, brought by a tenant or other person to recover possession of his or her personal property taken or detained by a landlord in violation of this section, the court, upon motion and after notice to the opposing parties, may waive or reduce any bond requirements where it appears to be to the satisfaction of the court that the moving party is proceeding in good faith and has, prima facie, a meritorious claim for immediate delivery or redelivery of said property."
ESHB 2535 - S COMM AMD
By Committee on Financial Institutions, Economic Development & Trade
ADOPTED 03/03/2020
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "rent;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and amending RCW 59.18.170 and 59.18.230."
EFFECT: In a situation where a tenant is assessed with late fees, a tenant may propose altering the due date for rent to a different date if it relates directly to a regular, monthly source of governmental assistance that is not received until after the date rent is due as long as the due date is no more than five days later than the due date in the rental agreement.
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