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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> In a cooperative housing context, the members own shares in the entity which owns the real property; they do not own the real property. But they are also tenants of the entity that owns the real property. As tenants of the cooperative association, do they fall under the Residential Landlord Tenant Act? The governing documents of all coops I have seen all provide for various processes for termination of stock ownership and lease rights, but none relates particularly to the requirements of the RLTA. You default, there is notice and an opportunity to cure; you don't cure, you lose your rights under the Agreement. I know that Stevens Housing Co-Op v. Guiffre, 89 Wash App 1067, discussed a process that used a 3-day notice, but it did not address the underlying issue about the RLTA. And Firth V. Lu, 146 Wash 2d 608, has dictum in it that calls the members shareholder-tenants, says that occupants are tenants, and rules that the member has no real property rights in the co-op's real property, but it also says, "As a matter of law, the agreement between the Lus and Firths did not, and could not, convey realty as such or any interest in realty." Well, a tenancy is an interest in realty. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> I kind of think that the sale by one owner to another owner is not of an interest in real property (especially after Firth v. Lu), but the relationship between the buyer and the owner of the property is like a tenancy and is not one of the exceptions in the RLTA. But the lease agreement is for over a year, and that makes it subject to the statute of frauds. Typically, these are not recorded. The minority opinion in Firth v. Lu points this out, in a discussion about a different matter. So, the statute of frauds should apply. When you have a residential lease that is covered by the statute of frauds but does not comply with it, it usually doesn't matter in the termination context anyway because of part performance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> The new Deskbook says that enforcement by termination is by the mechanism established in the documents, which should be, default, notice (60 days as an example), cancelling membership certificate, and termination of lease. Then, if necessary, eviction proceedings. It does not mention the RLTA; the eviction proceeding used in Stevens Housing was unlawful detainer. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> What is unresolved for me in all of that is the essential nature of a co-op. The co-op has the right to terminate for nonpayment, but also for un-co-operative like behavior of all sorts. I guess this is analogous to a lease where the landlord has the right to terminate for certain behaviors; in a co-op the behavior rules are just more extensive and intrusive than with an ordinary residential lease. First, if the RLTA applies, then how would it be different from a termination under the co-op's governing documents, in terms of the effect to the co-op? And second, if the termination process under the governing documents is used, then do we immediately go to unlawful detainer to eject, or is there something else to this?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> Sorry, I don't do enough landlord-tenant law to understand all of it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> Anyone have any thoughts?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> Thanks. Enjoy the sunshine. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Rob <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Robert D. Wilson-Hoss <br>Hoss & Wilson-Hoss, LLP <br>236 West Birch Street <br>Shelton, WA 98584 <br>360 426-2999<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><a href="www.hossandwilsonhoss.com"><span style='color:blue'>www.hossandwilson-hoss.com</span></a><br><a href="mailto:rob@hctc.com"><span style='color:blue'>rob@hctc.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><i><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>This message is intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee, you are hereby notified that any use, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify us by reply e-mail or by telephone (call us collect at the number listed above) and immediately delete this message and any and all of its attachments. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";text-transform:uppercase'>This office does debt collection and this e-mail may be an attempt to collect a debt, Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. </span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>To the extent the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. § 1692) applies this firm is acting as a debt collector for the condominium/homeowners' association named above to collect a debt owed to it. Any information obtained will be used for collection purposes. You have the right to seek advice of legal counsel.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>