1.5 year lease? - Landlord Forum thread

1.5 year lease? by Angie (Washington) on February 6, 2012 @12:33

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I was told that leases exceeding 1 year are illegal in the state of Washington. I looked up the RCW rule, but am not sure if it means that if my tenant and I acknowledge and sign an agreement exceeding 1 year, then it is ok, or I am just not allowed to have a lease beyond 1 year? I don't think I understand the state code. Any help is greatly appreciated:

Here is the RCW 59.18.210: "Tenancies from year to year are hereby abolished except when the same are created by express written contract. Leases may be in writing or print, or partly in writing and partly in print, and shall be legal and valid for any term or period not exceeding one year, without acknowledgment, witnesses or seals. "

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Re: 1.5 year lease? by MrDan (Georgia) on February 6, 2012 @14:01	[ Reply ]

Same as here in Georgia, just means that a lease of more than one year must be written and have witnesses or a notary seal attached. Georgia requires two independent witnesses to sign the document/lease for a least that is two years or greater.(at least the last time that I've checked)

Re: 1.5 year lease? by OK-LL on February 6, 2012 @16:43	[ Reply ]

I read this as a prohibition against leases that automatically renew for a year term, rather than roll to a M2M term. I also appears to be restricting a lease to one year or less.

Re: 1.5 year lease?

Re: 1.5 year lease? by Anonymous on February 6, 2012 @18:45	[ Reply ]

A 1.5 yr lease only benefits the tenant. If they move out early the most a judge will give you is two months rent and that's IF they actually pay up. It also makes it harder to evict a bad tenant. I found this out the hard way. Just do a 1 yr lease and if at the end of a yr have it go M2M or see if they want to sign another yr lease and if they have been a good tenant then do it.