Washington Landlord-Tenant Law and the Cost of Problem Tenants
Washington's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18)1 governs the relationship between property owners and renters, and while it provides clear procedures for addressing tenant violations, the reality of navigating these processes is often time-consuming and expensive. To evict a tenant for non-payment of rent in Washington, you must first serve a 3-day notice to pay or vacate. If the tenant fails to comply, you must then file an unlawful detainer action in district or superior court. The court process itself typically takes 3–8 weeks from filing to obtaining a writ of restitution, and this timeline assumes no complications such as tenant defenses, continuances, or difficulty scheduling a sheriff to execute the writ. During this entire period, the tenant often remains in the property without paying rent, and you continue bearing all carrying costs — mortgage, property taxes, insurance, and maintenance.
For cause evictions — such as lease violations, property damage, or nuisance behavior — require a 10-day notice to comply or vacate under RCW 59.18.1201. If the tenant corrects the violation within the 10-day window, the eviction process resets entirely. Many experienced landlords report that serial violators become adept at timing their compliance just before the deadline, only to repeat the behavior shortly after. Even when you successfully complete an eviction, Washington law prohibits landlords from seizing a tenant's personal property, and you may face counterclaims for alleged housing code violations, discrimination, or retaliatory eviction that further delay the process and increase legal costs2. Attorney fees for an eviction in Washington typically range from $2,500 to $5,000, and that figure does not include the lost rent during the 3–8 week process or the costs of repairing tenant-caused damage.
Selling your rental property to a cash buyer eliminates these headaches entirely. FIGA Properties buys properties with tenants in place, meaning you do not need to complete the eviction process before selling. We handle the tenant situation after closing, and you walk away with cash and without the ongoing stress, legal fees, and lost income that problem tenants create. For tired landlords who have spent months or years dealing with difficult tenants, a cash sale represents a clean break and an immediate return of your time and capital.


