Learn About Tenant And Landlord Rights From Pierce County

LAKEWOOD, WA — Confused about what will happen when the state's eviction moratorium ends later this month? So are a lot of other people.

That's why Pierce County is hosting two Q&A events later this month to help local residents understand their rights, and how to navigate this difficult time.

The first, which will focus on issues facing landlords, will be Oct. 19, from 1-4 p.m. Interested parties can register for the webinar online here.

The second, tackling issues for renters struggling to repay back rent, will be Oct. 26 from 2-4 p.m. Tenants can register for that event online here.

Washington state's eviction moratorium is set to expire at the end of October, after Gov. Jay Inslee offered one final extension late last month. The governor said the extension was necessary to buy local counties time to distribute emergency rental assistance funds. Pierce County is one of many counties that is still offering rental aid, but asks that tenants apply for aid sooner, rather than later, if they want to secure funding.

Under the current moratorium:

Landlords cannot evict residents for past due rent accrued between Feb. 29, 2020, and July 31, 2021, at least until their county has established both a rental assistance program and an eviction resolution program. Landlords are also banned from treating unpaid rent as an enforceable debt until both the landlord and tenant have had the opportunity to resolve the nonpayment through the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program, established by SB 5160.

Renters do need to pay rent, or make an effort to repay back rent. Beginning Aug. 1, renters had to either pay their full rent, pay reduced rent if they have negotiated a deal with their landlord, or seek rental assistance support. Landlords can only evict tenants if none of those actions are being taken, and must offer tenants a "reasonable re-payment plan" before beginning the eviction process. Landlords must also provide information regarding a tenant's right to legal counsel while issuing a two-week notice to vacate.

>> Learn more about landlord and tenant rights from the Washington State Attorney General's Office.