Legal Resources
Tenant-Caused Contamination: Who is Liable?
Washington State and federal environmental statutes impose strict liability on owners of property where there has been a release of hazardous substances. Continue Reading »
HOAs: Amending Restrictive Covenants to Ban Short-Term Rentals
Members of a homeowners association (HOA) may amend restrictive covenants to ban short-term rental activity if existing covenants authorize amendments by majority vote, and the short-term rental ban relates to an... Continue Reading »
Insurance Certificates: Why Lenders and Landlords Want Them
Lenders and landlords want proof of your property and general liability insurance. The Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD) created form insurance certificates, specifically an... Continue Reading »
Gifting Land to Children: What You Need to Know
Landowners can make gifts of real property to their children by quitclaim deed. By using this type of deed, rather than a statutory or special warranty deed, they will not be making any warranties about the... Continue Reading »
Bankruptcy and Rent Collection: A Landlord's Rights if Commercial Tenant Files for Bankruptcy
When a commercial tenant files for bankruptcy protection, an "automatic stay" goes into effect. If a landlord attempts to collect on certain pre-petition debts, it can be held liable for damages. Continue Reading »