Washington security deposit itemization
A Washington landlord must send the itemized statement within 30 days after move-out. Miss it and the right to deduct anything is gone. The generator checks the deadline, the delivery method and the documentation as you fill it in.
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What Washington requires
- Deadline
- 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, or after you learn the tenant abandoned the unit.
- Delivery
- Personal delivery or first-class mail to the tenant's last known address. Email does not satisfy the statute.
- If it is late
- Missing the deadline forfeits the deductions unless circumstances beyond your control prevented delivery or the tenant abandoned the unit; intentional refusal allows up to twice the deposit, and the prevailing party recovers attorney's fees.
- Documentation
- Estimates or invoices for repairs, or for your own labor the hours spent, the hourly rate and a bill, receipt or vendor price list for materials. Carpet cleaning needs documented wear beyond ordinary use.
- Condition record
- A signed, dated move-in checklist describing the condition of walls, flooring, furniture and appliances, with a copy for the tenant; without it no deposit may be collected, and nothing may be withheld for items it does not document.
- Deposit account
- Promptly placed in a trust account at a financial institution or licensed escrow agent in Washington, with a written receipt and notice of where it is held.
- Statute
- RCW 59.18.260, 59.18.270, 59.18.280
What goes on the statement
The deposit and the date it was received, each deduction with a specific description and amount, the total withheld, and the refund or balance owed. Washington landlords also record how and when the statement was sent, because the deadline is measured to that date. Damage lines should say what was damaged and how, not just a room name: a tenant, and a judge, can tell a burn mark from carpet wear.
Interest, a separate deposit account, receipts, photographs and a sworn attestation are only required in some states. The generator shows the fields Washington needs and leaves out the ones it does not.
Washington deposit FAQ
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