Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Washington?
No. In Washington, a landlord who starts an eviction, raises the rent or takes another listed action within 90 days after a tenant’s good-faith complaint or the government inspection it prompted is presumed to be retaliating. The presumption runs the other way if the tenant was behind on rent or in breach of the lease when the termination notice was given. Separately, the federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to threaten or interfere with anyone for exercising fair housing rights. This is RCW 59.18.240, 59.18.250.
| What | Washington |
|---|---|
| Retaliation by a landlord | Prohibited by statute |
| Time period in the statute | Presumed within 90 days |
| How the period works | Retaliation is presumed if the landlord acts within it |
Source
Read the statute in the Revised Code of Washington (Washington State Legislature): app.leg.wa.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
When an owner prepares an eviction in Seayora, it lists any repair request opened on the unit in the last 180 days that is still open, not to stop the case but because the tenant will raise retaliation and the owner should have an answer. Every repair request keeps the date it was filed.
Guides on this rule
- Landlord Retaliation Laws: Protected Tenant Acts and Time Limits — When an eviction, rent increase or cut in services is presumed retaliatory: 180 days in California, six months in Texas, a year in New York.
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The same question in other states
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