For My Landlord/ Tenant Friends

Extended Moratorium on Evictions

For my clients and friends who are landlords or those of you who are tenants yourselves…
On June 2, Governor Inslee extended the Moratorium on Evictions until August 1, 2020.  Under the extended moratorium, it is unlawful for a landlord to evict a tenant or deliver any notice of termination. However, a critical exception was included in the June 2 extension order. Effective immediately, a landlord may: “…  provide at least 60 days’ written notice of intent to (i) personally occupy the premises as a primary residence, or (ii) sell the property.”

As a result of this language included in Governor Inslee’s moratorium extension, a landlord may deliver notice to a tenant whose lease is expired or will expire in the next 60 days, that the tenant’s lease rights will terminate at the end of the 60 day notice period so long as landlord intends to personally occupy the property or sell the property at the end of that 60 day notice period. Thereafter, if the tenant does not vacate the unit, the landlord may evict the tenant.