My landlord gave me a 90-Day Notice

Why did your landlord give you this notice? Is it legal? What should you do now? Read this to learn more. #6356EN

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Yes, if you rent the place where you live and you just got a 90-Day Notice to Terminate your tenancy (or a 90-Day Notice to Vacate).  

No, if you own the mobile home you live in, and rent the lot. Read My Landlord Just Threatened to Evict Me from my Manufactured/Mobile Home Park and talk to a lawyer right away. Contact information is below.

  • What this notice means
  • What to do if you get this notice from your landlord
  • Where to get legal help

It is a notice from your landlord that you must leave at the end of the 90 days. Here is when your landlord can give you a 90-Day Notice:

  • Your landlord wants to move into the place (or have an immediate family member move in). If your landlord ends the tenancy with this type of notice, but then does not actually move into the rental, you may have a case for wrongful eviction.
  • Your landlord wants to sell the place. If your landlord ends the tenancy with this type of notice, but then does not make reasonable attempts to sell the property or, in the case of a single-family home, does not actually sell it, you may have a case for wrongful eviction.

This should not apply to apartment buildings.  If you live in an apartment and get this kind of notice, you should talk to a lawyer

Yes. Your landlord (or their employee or another adult) can "personally serve" you at home by handing you the notice. Your landlord can also hand it to another adult or older teenager living with you. If your landlord does this "substitute service", your landlord must also send a copy of the notice to you.  

Your landlord can also tape it on your door, but then they must also mail a copy to you.

* The landlord does not have to have notice notarized.

If your landlord did not post or advertise the place for sale at a reasonable price within 30 days of you moving out, you may have a case for wrongful eviction. Talk to a lawyer. See contact information below.

You may also have a case for wrongful eviction if, within 90 days after you moved out or after the date the property was posted for sale, whichever is later, the owner took the place back off the market, rented it out again, or did anything else proving they were not going to sell it after all.

If your landlord or immediate family fails to live in the rental for at least 60 days during the 90 days immediately after you moved out, you may have a case for wrongful eviction. Talk to a lawyer.

No. Washington law does not let landlords force tenants to vacate without first following the proper court eviction process. 

Your landlord must give a proper written "termination" notice before your landlord can start an eviction lawsuit. The 90-Day Notice to Quit is one type of termination notice.

Your landlord can start an eviction lawsuit against you. Your landlord does this by giving you official court papers called a "Summons" and "Complaint." These papers may require you to send a response to your landlord or their lawyer.

Your landlord needs to have these documents delivered to you (by someone other than your landlord) if your landlord wants to have the case heard in court.

Your landlord must win an eviction lawsuit against you and get a judge to sign an order directing the sheriff to evict you. Only the sheriff can formally evict you or change the locks on the rental.

Get Legal Help

Visit Northwest Justice Project to find out how to get legal help. 

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Last Review and Update: Jan 18, 2024
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