Tenants in the house we are buying (Washington state)

[Jennifer Soelberg]

This is probably a question for someone in Washington state as it has to do with landlord tenant laws, but we are in the middle of buying a property. There is an older couple living in it currently who are not paying rent and are not on a lease. They were kind of the caregivers of the renter who passed away 6 months ago. The owner is in California and hasn’t been managing it at all. We heard that there may be a law about the recently deceased and letting the people living there stay for a certain period of time after their death? Just wanted to see if anyone had dealt with someone similar? Any ideas on how to get them out? (There is no way they can pay the rent on their own)

[Michele Fischer]

I am not aware of any such stipulation, but am not an expert.

I do know that in the absence of a written agreement, and verbal or expired agreements are effectively month-to-month agreements.  So you have until the 10th of any month to give notice of ending the contract by the end of the month (20 days notice, truly).

What I would do in that situation is draft and mail the 20 days notice, post and mail a 3 day pay or quit for unpaid rent, then feel them out for what they need to get moved out ASAP (cash for keys).  If you serve legally, worse case you should have the property back by the end of the month and potentially sooner.

If the property is in King County they have their own laws that I am not up to speed on.  And, this assumes you have the tenants names, that might complicate things.