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Tenants facing eviction get more time to pay back rent under new law

A new law requires landlords to give tenants 14 days to pay rent that is owed instead of three before evicting them.
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Streetshot of an apartment building in Capitol Hill in Seattle.

OLYMPIA, Wash — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a bill overhauling eviction rules, an effort designed to help people stay in their homes as the state deals with a housing crisis.

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The measure, signed into law Thursday, requires landlords to give tenants who are behind on their rent at least 14 days to pay up, rather than three.

Sarah Nagy, a staff attorney at the nonprofit Columbia Legal Services, said in a written statement the two-week period can make all the difference because it gives tenants time to receive another paycheck or to seek other housing if necessary.

The bill also allows judges to impose payment plans, so that tenants can remain in their homes while they repay what they owe.

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