Landlord Tenant Lawyers

It depends on the type of premises(building) you reside. There are specific laws that are applicable even if the lease does not mention certain terms and provisions. Your rights as a tenant not only arise from the lease but also from certain laws. It also depends on the type of pet you are thinking of adopting, ie. service animal. I am a tenant’s attorney.

A Washington State residential landlord/tenant template may or may not be reliable depending on who drafted it or provided it, whether or not it applies to a particular situation, and whether it is up to date (in 2023, WA State made several changes to the law). You can review the state law here: https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18 However, some cities/counties have additional requirements and/or provisions that also must be followed. It would have been a good idea to have an attorney review the document BEFORE you signed it.

First, you do not have to agree with your landlord to change your lease agreement. Second, know why your landlord wants to change your lease agreement. Third, what rights/benefits do you give up if you agree with your landlord to change your lease agreement.

Hello! I'm so sorry about this situation! To modify a contract legally, the following requirements must be met: 1. All parties to the contract must agree to the modification. This means that both parties must sign and date the amendment to the contract. 2. The parties to the contract need new consideration -- something of legal value -- to modify a contract. For example, if a party wants more money for something they would need to provide additional performance in exchange. 3. A writing is not required for a modification, but recommended. In your case, you said that you received the addendum to the lease agreement and it contains changes to the original terms, including an increase in rent. An increase in rent would be a change to a material term, requiring you to pay more. Because you would be required to pay more, your landlord would have to offer something in exchange for this to be binding. This means that unless the lease was up for renewal, the modification would be invalid. Thanks again and good luck!

The question would be what exactly do you rent. Do you rent a room and the kitchen and livingroom are common areas or do you rent the entire space. You have an expectation of privacy inside the space you rent. So, for example, if you rent a single room, you have an expectation of privacy inside that room, and thus there is no expectation of privacy in the common areas. However, if you rent the entire space, then the area for your expectation of privacy is the entire unit. This does not apply to bathrooms or changing rooms or other areas where there is also a general expectation of privacy.