Landlord's Responsibilities
Under the Landlord-Tenant Act, the landlord must:

• Maintain the dwelling so it does not violate state and local codes in ways that endanger the tenant's health and safety.
   
• Maintain structural components, such as roofs, floors and chimneys, in reasonably good repair.
   
• Maintain the dwelling in reasonably weather-tight condition.
   
• Provide reasonably adequate locks and keys.
   
• Provide the necessary facilities to supply heat, electricity and hot and cold water.
   
• Provide garbage cans and arrange for removal of garbage, except in single family dwellings.
   
• Keep common areas, such as lobbies, stairways and halls, reasonably clean and free from hazards.
   
• Control pests before the tenant moves in. The landlord must continue to control infestations except in single family dwellings, or when the infestation was caused by the tenant.
   
• Make repairs to keep the unit in the same condition as when the tenant moved in (except for normal wear and tear).
   
• Keep electrical, plumbing and heating systems in good repair, and maintain any appliances which are provided with the rental.
   
• Inform the tenant of the name and address of the landlord or landlord's agent.
• Set water heaters at 120 ° when a new tenant moves in.
   
• Provide smoke detectors, and ensure they work properly when a new tenant moves in. (Tenants are responsible for maintaining detectors).
   
• Provide written notice of whether the building has a fire sprinkler system, an alarm system, a smoking policy (and what that policy is), an emergency notification and/or relocation plan (and what that plan is), and an emergency evacuation plan (and what that plan is).
   
• Investigate whether a tenant is engaging in gang-related activity when another tenant notifies the landlord of gang-related activity by serving a written notice and investigation demand to the landlord.
   
• Replace a lock or configure an existing one for a new key, at a tenant’s expense, when a tenant requests for this to be done after obtaining a court order that grants the tenant possession of a rental unit and excludes a former co-tenant.

Important Note: A landlord is not responsible for the cost of correcting problems that were caused by the tenant.

Seattle Residents: The city of Seattle imposes more specific maintenance duties on landlords than the Landlord-Tenant Act, particularly in the areas of building and dwelling unit security. (See Seattle Housing and Building Maintenance Code, SMC Chapter 22.206)