Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Washington

guest taking over house (WA)

My homeowner friend recently received a lung transplant. Several months prior, she hired a ''housekeeper'' to help a few hours a week with chores/errands. This person has no permanent residence, capable of working but on welfare, sob story about everything. Unsupervised work paid by the hour wasn't satisfactory, so in lieu of payment, my friend allowed her to stay over sometimes, and to keep her belongings at the house, and even bought her a used car to run errands, with the understanding that she would continue to maintain the household during illness and recovery in exchange. Over the months, this person has gradually filled every empty storage space and closet at my friend's 3 br house with her junk. When my friend was to be released from hospital, I checked on the house, and found it a mess, unsuitable for post-transplant occupation, despite housekeeper's assertions she'd been there cleaning for 2 weeks. I questioned her about it & she attacked me, then fled when I called 911. She has not returned since (1 week ago) and won't take or return calls on the cell phone provided by my friend. She also left with my friend's keys & won't return them. We have no idea where she is. Can we just get rid of her junk and change the locks?


Asked on 6/03/07, 8:24 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Elizabeth Powell ELizabeth Powell PS Inc

Re: guest taking over house (WA)

The person's tenancy is (was) related to her job duties. As such, it is not covered by the RLTA, and it sounds as though she understands that her job and tenancy are over.

Have you considered contacting Adult Protective Services about this situation? Perhaps next time another person won't get taken quite so badly.

First thing, as I see it, is to change the locks to the house.

You can find her through a PI, as a last resort.

What you see as her junk is really her stuff. Throwing it in the garbage without giving her notice and an opportunity to get her things would leave someone open to a theft/conversion problem.

Find her; send her a certified letter about her stuff; give her 45 days to deal with it, and tell her what the consequences are if she fails to deal with it. You can pack it up and have it stored and let the storage place assume responsibility for the stuff.

But tossing it is a problematic approach.

Hope this helps - Elizabeth Powell

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Answered on 6/03/07, 11:26 pm


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