Threatening behavior by tenant — Termination of agreement — Written notice — Financial obligations.
RCW 59.18.352
in effectIf a tenant notifies the landlord that he or she, or another tenant who shares that particular dwelling unit has been threatened by another tenant, and: (1) The threat was made with a firearm or other deadly weapon as defined in RCW 9A.04.110 ; and (2) The tenant who made the threat is arrested as a result of the threatening behavior; and (3) The landlord fails to file an unlawful detainer action against the tenant who threatened another tenant within seven calendar days after receiving notice of the arrest from a law enforcement agency; then the tenant who was threatened may terminate the rental agreement and quit the premises upon written notice to the landlord without further obligation under the rental agreement. A tenant who terminates a rental agreement under this section is discharged from payment of rent for any period following the quitting date, and is entitled to a pro rata refund of any prepaid rent, and shall receive a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit together with any refund due in accordance with RCW 59.18.280 . Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a landlord to terminate a rental agreement or file an unlawful detainer action.
If a tenant notifies the landlord that he or she, or another tenant who shares that particular dwelling unit has been threatened by another tenant, and:
(1) The threat was made with a firearm or other deadly weapon as defined in RCW 9A.04.110 ; and
(2) The tenant who made the threat is arrested as a result of the threatening behavior; and
(3) The landlord fails to file an unlawful detainer action against the tenant who threatened another tenant within seven calendar days after receiving notice of the arrest from a law enforcement agency;
then the tenant who was threatened may terminate the rental agreement and quit the premises upon written notice to the landlord without further obligation under the rental agreement.
A tenant who terminates a rental agreement under this section is discharged from payment of rent for any period following the quitting date, and is entitled to a pro rata refund of any prepaid rent, and shall receive a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit together with any refund due in accordance with RCW 59.18.280 .
Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a landlord to terminate a rental agreement or file an unlawful detainer action.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026