Refund of unused rent - Landlord Forum thread 188894

Refund of unused rent by Leslie on October 8, 2009 @13:24

Washington State: The current landlord requested that the tenant move out by the end of the month (October 31st). The tenant has applied and has been accepted to rent my house and is asking the current landlord to refund her for the unused rent from October 15th. The current landlord is refusing to refund the unused rent. This is a month to month contract plus the current landlord gave only a verbal notice and has provided nothing in writing. The current landlord has requested the move because he is moving back into the house on the 1st of November. This is not how I handle refunds of unused rent, but I can't find anything in the RCW's that addresses this issue. Any suggestions that will help my possible new tenant?

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Re: Refund of unused rent by OK-LL on October 8, 2009 @13:33	[ Reply ]

The LL provided a 30-day notice to terminate the tenancy. It should have been in writing, but it sounds like the tenant accepted the verbal notice and made arrangements to move. The tenant is moving before the end of the notice period, but that is not the LL's problem. The tenant is required to pay rent through the end of the notice period. Yes, under the circumstances, it would be nice if LL would return T's rent for the half-month, but it is not required. I wonder if LL just used the "I'm moving in" excuse to avoid conflict, but really just wanted T out for some other reason (I'm a cynic). But you should not concern yourself with the financial arrangement between T and her current LL. That's not your business and you don't want to get involved -- you wouldn't like it if a 3rd party got in the middle of your LL/T relationship, would you?

Re: Refund of unused rent

Re: Refund of unused rent by Ultimate M-Bone on October 8, 2009 @13:51	[ Reply ]

There is no law that the landlord has to refund unused portion of rent. You expect that landlord to give up money that is rightfully his. Why don't you offer your new tenant rent free for the days of this month to move into your place early. After all that is what you expect that landlord to do, give you his rent money for the remainder of the month. Tenants are expected to pay double rent when moving from one place to another. While his rent is paid current for his last month, he will have to begin paying rent on a new place from the day he signs a lease. It sounds like you are taking on a tenant who is otherwise financially unable to do that.

Re: Refund of unused rent by Anonymous on October 8, 2009 @15:48	[ Reply ]

I think it's good that she's moving early, this will help her get her old unit spotlessly cleaned and damages repaired before returning it to the old LL, that way she can get her full refund returned.

Re: Refund of unused rent by Anonymous on October 8, 2009 @18:32	[ Reply ]

I don't think any of us can judge what the past landlord is doing, as this is only half of the story. Possibly the tenants left the place dirty, or with some damages? Landlord's request may have been for them to be out by the end of the month? Month to month is from the 1st to the 31st in my state. There are no partial months that I know of in my area. It is not good sense to do business verbally. Tenant could have asked for a move out date in writing. And landlord should have provided an exact move out date in writing. Your possible new tenant should not count on this refund...as month to month means a month in one full increment. Was this person renting from the 15th of one month to the 15th of the next month? Not likely.