When you rent a Washington home or apartment, you pay for the right to occupy a property owned by someone else. Generally speaking, you have control over that property throughout your lease period. However, your landlord still retains certain rights such as the ability to inspect, showcase or otherwise keep tabs on the home while you live in it.

You have the right to quiet enjoyment of the premises

The right to quiet enjoyment means that your landlord is responsible for ensuring that the upstairs neighbor isn’t making noise early in the morning or late at night. The property owner is also required to ensure that you don’t have to deal with unreasonably loud noise coming from cars, lawn equipment or large gatherings of people on a regular basis. Finally, you have the right to expect to live in a property that is free of sexual, gender or other types of harassment.

You must be notified of any visits by your landlord

To comply with state landlord and tenant law, your landlord must notify you at least 24 hours in advance of any visit to your rental home or apartment. Furthermore, the property owner must make a good faith effort to visit at a time that is convenient for you. In addition, he or she must generally allow you to remain on the premises during a visit if you desire.

As a tenant, state law provides you a variety of rights and responsibilities that generally remain in effect throughout the term of a lease. In most cases, your landlord will review a lease agreement with you before you sign it. However, if not, it’s a good idea to review it before putting your name on the document.