Mold in a Rental in Seattle: What to Do

This guide is general information about Washington and Seattle rules, not legal advice. For your own situation, read the statutes linked below or talk with a tenant attorney or tenant support organization.

First steps when you find mold

Seattle has a large rental population, and the long wet season makes mold complaints common in apartments, older houses split into units and basement suites. Before you deal with the mold itself, look for the water behind it. Washington DOH and Public Health - Seattle & King County both point tenants toward the moisture problem, because that is what the landlord must fix and what code inspectors can act on.

1. Document it. Take dated photos of the mold, any stains, drips, wet carpet or condensation. Note when you first noticed it.
2. Look for the cause. A roof or window leak, a plumbing drip, a broken bath fan, groundwater in a basement unit, or heavy condensation are the usual suspects. Our page on recognizing mold in a home can help.
3. Notify the landlord in writing. Describe the leak or moisture problem and where it is, and ask for repairs. Keep a copy.
4. Limit the damage. Report new leaks right away, run heat and ventilation, and dry what you can.

Small surface patches, less than about 10 square feet by EPA and DOH guidance, can usually be cleaned with soap and water while you wait for repairs. Don't paint over mold. People with asthma or a weakened immune system should stay away from moldy areas, and anyone with health concerns should see a health professional.

What must a Washington landlord do?

The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, RCW 59.18.060, lists the landlord's duties. In plain terms, the landlord must keep the unit fit to live in, keep the roof, walls, floors and foundation in reasonably good repair, keep plumbing, heating and other supplied facilities working, and keep the unit reasonably weathertight. Leaks and failed ventilation that lead to mold usually fall under those duties.

The same law requires landlords to give tenants information provided or approved by the Department of Health about indoor mold and how to control it. New tenants get it when the lease is signed. DOH says posting it in a visible common area is acceptable, and accepted materials include DOH's mold questions and answers and EPA's brief guide to mold and moisture.

There are limits. Under RCW 59.18.060, the landlord does not have to repair a condition the tenant or the tenant's household caused, and the tenant loses remedies if they unreasonably deny access for repairs. DOH also expects tenants to do their part: run heating and ventilation to keep condensation down, and report water problems promptly in writing.

How long does a landlord have to start repairs?

Under RCW 59.18.070, after a tenant gives written notice to the landlord or the person who collects rent, the landlord must begin fixing the problem within set times, except where circumstances are beyond the landlord's control:

Most leak and moisture problems fall into the 10-day category, but a failed heating system in winter is a 24-hour item. RCW 59.18.080 adds a condition: you must be current on rent, and on any utilities you agreed to pay, before you can use these remedies.

What should a written notice include?

A clear notice makes it easier to show later when the repair clock started. Keep it short and factual:

• Your name, unit address and the date
• The specific problem, such as a ceiling leak in the bathroom, water coming in at the bedroom window, or a bath fan that no longer runs
• Where the mold or water damage appears and roughly how large the area is
• When you first noticed it and any earlier reports you made
• A request for repair and the best way to arrange access

Deliver it to the landlord or the person who collects rent, the people RCW 59.18.070 names, in a way you can prove, and attach or keep your photos. Text messages and emails can help as a record, but read the statutes on what counts as notice for each remedy before relying on them. Then give reasonable access when the landlord or a contractor needs to come in.

What if the landlord doesn't fix it?

RCW 59.18.090 gives tenants choices when the landlord misses the deadline, including giving written notice and ending the rental agreement with a prorated refund of prepaid rent, or going to court or agreed arbitration. RCW 59.18.100 allows repair-and-deduct after a written cost estimate, with caps: work by a properly registered or credentialed contractor is limited to two months' rent per repair and two months' rent in any 12-month period, and a tenant's own repair work is capped at one month's rent. Each of these steps has notice requirements, so read the statute text before acting.

Inside the city, Seattle's Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) is the place to report a landlord who won't make repairs. You can contact SDCI Code Compliance on its Violation Complaint Line at 206-615-0808 or file a property or building complaint online. Public Health - Seattle & King County does not do mold assessments; it tells tenants to notify the landlord in writing and report the unaddressed water or maintenance problem to code enforcement. DOH makes the same point: local code officials may act on building problems but generally will not respond to a complaint about mold alone. Frame your complaint around the leak, the broken fan or the wet wall.

Outside Seattle, contact your city or county code enforcement office. Many nearby cities, such as Burien, Kent and Federal Way, have their own rental housing rules; check with the city.

How does Seattle's rental inspection program fit in?

Seattle's Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO) requires most rental housing to register with SDCI and be inspected at least once every 5 to 10 years, with at least two days' notice to tenants. The RRIO checklist has no mold item, but it does expect a reasonably weatherproof, damp-free building. Items that fail include a leaking roof, exterior walls or windows that let water in, walls, floors or ceilings that are soft or wet to the touch, missing or broken bathroom and laundry fans where they replace openable windows, and leaking plumbing. Standing water in the crawl space is listed as an advisory item. Those are the same conditions that cause mold, so the checklist is a useful way to describe the problem to a landlord.

Should a tenant pay for a mold inspection?

Usually not as a first step. DOH and EPA say sampling is rarely needed when mold can be seen or smelled, and there are no federal limits to compare results against. An independent inspection can still help when mold is suspected behind walls, the source is unclear, or the landlord disputes the problem. A report that identifies moisture sources and affected areas tends to carry more weight than a lab number alone. Our guide comparing inspection and testing explains what each tells you.

Advice for landlords

For owners, the practical path is quick response to written notices, fixing the water source, and hiring the right help for the cleanup. Washington has no state mold license, so check that any company is registered with Washington L&I as a construction contractor using L&I's Verify a Contractor tool. For larger jobs, a mold remediation company in Seattle can handle containment and removal, and clearance testing by a separate firm gives both sides documentation that the work is done. Angi recommends using separate companies for testing and remediation. Multifamily buildings may also call for commercial-scale remediation. More detail is in our guide to hiring a Washington mold company.