If the repair is yours to pay
Get more than one quote before you agree to a price, and ask the contractor to confirm where the property line and the public side begin.
Repair-request & landlord/tenant forms (LawDepot)Templates for a notice to repair, security-deposit demand, and more.
Partner link. Who Pays the Repair? may earn a commission if you request a quote or sign up, at no cost to you. It never changes who we say pays.
Default rule and exceptions
Under RCW 59.18.060, the landlord must maintain all electrical, plumbing, heating, and other facilities and appliances supplied by the landlord in reasonably good working order. Under RCW 59.18.130, the tenant must properly use and operate landlord-supplied appliances and must not intentionally or negligently damage them.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Landlord | Maintain facilities and appliances supplied by him or her in reasonably good working order |
| Tenant | Properly use and operate fixtures and appliances supplied by the landlord, and not intentionally or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove appliances |
| Exceptions | Damage to appliances that the tenant intentionally or negligently causes is a tenant duty under RCW 59.18.130. |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Oct 21, 2026.
Maintain all electrical, plumbing, heating, and other facilities and appliances supplied by him or her in reasonably good working order
Properly use and operate all electrical, gas, heating, plumbing and other fixtures and appliances supplied by the landlord
Not intentionally or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove any part of the structure or dwelling, with the appurtenances thereto, including the facilities, equipment, furniture, furnishings, and appliances
City rules rest on state law. Read Washington's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for rental repair: landlord-supplied appliances in Statewide, WA?
The landlord. Maintain facilities and appliances supplied by him or her in reasonably good working order
Are there exceptions in Statewide, WA?
Damage to appliances that the tenant intentionally or negligently causes is a tenant duty under RCW 59.18.130.
What is this based on for Statewide, WA?
This verdict is sourced to RCW 59.18.060 Landlord - Duties and 3 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- RCW 59.18.060 Landlord - Dutiesstatute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-21
- RCW 59.18.130 Duties of tenantstatute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-21
- RCW 59.18.130 Duties of tenantstatute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-21
Spot an error? Challenge this record
Found an out-of-date code section, a wrong verdict, or a better primary source? Tell us. Corrections that check out are applied, with the change shown in history. That is our standing policy.