Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Washington

Re: Refund to previous owner

You pose an interesting question. Under Washington law, normally if someone sends you something in the mail, it is yours to keep. However, because you have a check made out to someone specific, the general rule probably does not apply to you. In fact, because it has someone else's name on it, that evinces the sender's intent of whom the funds belong to.

Worse yet, you have to be careful, because I am going to assume that the prior owner's name was on the envelope. If that is so, and you opened their mail, that is a violation of federal law. You cannot open mail addressed to other people. You are required to return it to the sender.

I would do just that, or forward it to the original owner if you know where they can be found. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Good luck.