What are the legal obligations of a landlord in regards to the return of a tenant’s security deposit?

In Washington, landlords have certain legal obligations when it comes to returning a tenant’s security deposit. Within twenty-one days of the termination of the tenancy, the landlord must provide a written statement showing the disposition of the security deposit. The statement must include: any amount of the security deposit kept by the landlord, the basis for the deductions, the amount of any damage caused by the tenant, and the name and last known mailing address of the person to whom the security deposit was paid. The landlord must either return the tenant’s security deposit, less any lawful deductions, or provide the tenant with written notice that all or part of the security deposit was not refunded and the reasons for retaining it. When deductions are taken from the security deposit, the landlord must provide the tenant with a written itemized list of the expenses incurred, such as damages caused by the tenant, unpaid rent, or cleaning fees. The landlord also needs to provide the tenant with copies of any bills or receipts for repairs or cleaning. In Washington, the landlord is not permitted to use the security deposit as the last month’s rent, and if they fail to return the deposit to the tenant in the proper amount of time, the tenant can sue the landlord and seek triple the amount of the deposit, in addition to their attorney’s fees.

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What are the legal obligations of a landlord in regards to the return of a tenant’s security deposit?

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