FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5044

C 7 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Giving notice of the termination of a tenancy.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Rasmussen, Roach, Winsley, Kastama and Schmidt).

Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections

House Committee on Judiciary

Background: The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act requires 20 days notice before a month-to-month tenancy is terminated. A tenancy for a specified time is terminated at the end of the specified time. The Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act has similar termination notice requirements but allows tenants who are members of the armed forces to terminate rental agreements with less than the required notice if the tenant receives reassignment orders that do not allow such notice.

Summary: Residential tenants who are members of the armed services may terminate a month-to-month tenancy with less than 20 days notice if they receive reassignment orders that do not allow a 20-day notice. The termination provisions are also applied to tenancies for a specified time. The tenant's spouse or dependant may terminate a tenancy. Members of the National Guard and armed forces reserves are included as tenants who can terminate leases. The tenancy can be terminated upon receipt of deployment orders or reassignment orders. In the termination of tenancies for a specified time, the tenant must give seven days notice to the landlord of the reassignment or deployment order. The Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act is amended to mirror the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       49  0

House       94  0

Effective: March 24, 2003