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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Without looking for case law, I humbly disagree. I cannot find anything in Chapter 59.20 that requires that the LL pay for utilities (only maintain them). Note that RCW 59.20.90 requires a three month prior notice before there is an increase in rent. Note also that RCW 59.20.240 says the “tenant shall be current in the payment of rent including all utilities which the tenant has agreed in the rental agreement to pay…”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I think that the LL gave the required 90 day notice to the T of the increase. It seems to me that the LL’s ace in the hole is the 90 day notice, not the fact that the LL <i>also</i> put it in the Rules and Regulations. It was T’s remedy to move out if T didn’t like the renewal terms. That’s why Chapter 59.20 requires that LL give a 3 month notice. I would not want to be the one to argue with a straight face in front of a judge that the law makes a distinction between an increase in “rent” and an increase or change in other provisions and that LL can only increase the rent for subsequent terms of the lease but can make no other changes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I do not think there has to be “adequate consideration” because it does not appear that the LL was attempting to modify a provision of the lease <i>during</i> the term of the lease but rather trying to have it apply to a subsequent term.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Ultimately, based on your facts, it doesn’t matter because LL can always just terminate the lease because T agreed to a month-to-month lease. So, even if you are correct and T wins this UD battle, T will lose the war once LL serves up the month-to-month termination notice. If I represented T, I would start negotiating an amicable parting of the ways between the parties (which may not be possible if LL is entrenched because LL has already incurred the main costs of the UD.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><a name="Paul_Neumiller"><span style='color:#1F497D'><img width=375 height=225 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D147C9.45657290"></span></a><span style='color:white'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Rod Harmon<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 5, 2016 1:07 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'WSBA Real Property Listserv' <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] mobile home LLT question<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'>Mobile home landlord tenant law is not my area, so I would appreciate insight from those who know it better. Tenant has been served with an Unlawful Detainer S&C on the basis of nonpayment of rent.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'>Landlord and tenant signed a month-to-month lease that calls for payment by the tenant of monthly rent and provides that the landlord shall pay for the water, sewer and garbage service. Under RCW 59.20.090(1), the rental agreement renews automatically. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'>Subsequently, the landlord gave the tenant a written notice that there would be no rent increase for 2013 but that, commencing 90 days later, the tenant would be obligated to pay for the water, sewer and garbage for their own mobile home. The landlord had all of the mobile homes in the park separately metered and employed a private metering company to bill the tenants. The landlord then circulated written Rules and Regulations that included a rule that stated that water and sewer charges are now the responsibility of the individual mobile home owners and that they would be separately billed by a private company. The tenant signed the Rules and Regulations just below a statement that the tenant agreed to comply with them.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'>Later, the tenant refused to pay the utilities on the ground that, under the rental agreement, it was the obligation of the landlord, not the tenant.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'>It seems to me that the tenant is right because of this provision in the MH Landlord-Tenant Act, <span lang=EN>“Rules are enforceable against a tenant only if: … </span>(4) They are not for the purpose of evading an obligation of the landlord.”<span lang=EN> RCW 59.20.045(4). It appears to me that the landlord is trying to use the rule to evade his obligation under the rental agreement to pay the utilities, so the rule is not enforceable. The landlord appears to believe he has amended the rental agreement by getting the tenant to sign the rules. I think RCW 59.20.045(4) prevents him from doing that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span lang=EN>Again, this is not my area, and I would very much appreciate the opinion of those who do practice in it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Rod Harmon</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>RODNEY T. HARMON</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> Attorney at Law</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> P.O. Box 1066</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> Bothell, WA 98041</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> Tel: (425) 402-7800</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> Fax: (425) 458-9096</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> <a href="http://www.rodharmon.com">www.rodharmon.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> <a href="mailto:rodharmon@msn.com">rodharmon@msn.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:6.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>