S-4265.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6715

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Senators Winsley, Wood and Rasmussen

Read first time 01/28/98.  Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions, Insurance & Housing.

Terminating rental agreements under the mobile home landlord-tenant act.

    AN ACT Relating to the termination of rental agreements under the mobile home landlord-tenant act; and amending RCW 59.20.090.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 59.20.090 and 1980 c 152 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Unless otherwise agreed rental agreements shall be for a term of one year.  Any rental agreement of whatever duration shall be automatically renewed for the term of the original rental agreement, unless((:

    (a))) a different specified term is agreed upon((; or

    (b) The landlord serves notice of termination without cause upon the tenant prior to the expiration of the rental agreement:  PROVIDED, That under such circumstances, at the expiration of the prior rental agreement the tenant shall be considered a month-to-month tenant upon the same terms as in the prior rental agreement until the tenancy is terminated)).

    (2) A landlord seeking to increase the rent upon expiration of the term of a rental agreement of any duration shall notify the tenant in writing three months prior to the effective date of any increase in rent((:  PROVIDED, That if a landlord serves a tenant with notice of a rental increase at the same time or subsequent to serving the tenant with notice of termination without cause, such rental increase shall not become effective until the date the tenant is required to vacate the leased premises pursuant to the notice of termination or three months from the date notice of rental increase is served, whichever is later)).

    (3) A tenant shall notify the landlord in writing one month prior to the expiration of a rental agreement of an intention not to renew.

    (4)(a) The tenant may terminate the rental agreement upon thirty days written notice whenever a change in the location of the tenant's employment requires a change in his residence, and shall not be liable for rental following such termination unless after due diligence and reasonable effort the landlord is not able to rent the mobile home lot at a fair rental.  If the landlord is not able to rent the lot, the tenant shall remain liable for the rental specified in the rental agreement until the lot is rented or the original term ends;

    (b) Any tenant who is a member of the armed forces may terminate a rental agreement with less than thirty days notice if he receives reassignment orders which do not allow greater notice.

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