The landlord first discloses what information will be accessed, denial criteria, consumer-report information and reusable-report policy.
The prospective landlord may charge the cost of obtaining a tenant screening report only after providing the required subsection (1)(a) information.
Actual background-information costs may be charged but may not exceed customary screening-service costs in the general area.
Rejection or approval with conditions triggers the statutory adverse-action notice framework.
Save the screening notice before the landlord pulls information
The notice should identify the types of information accessed, the criteria that may result in denial, consumer-report agency information and rights when a consumer report is used, and whether the landlord accepts a comprehensive reusable tenant screening report. Preserve the version displayed or delivered before screening.
A screening charge is conditional on the required notice
RCW 59.18.257 allows a prospective landlord to charge the applicant for costs incurred in obtaining a tenant screening report only if the landlord first provides the required screening information. This is a screening-cost rule, not a blanket authorization for unrelated application, administration or holding fees.
Landlord-performed screening is tied to actual cost
When a landlord performs screening rather than buying a screening report, the statute permits actual costs of obtaining background information after the required notice, but the amount may not exceed the customary cost charged by a screening service in the general area. The statute describes certain phone and landlord/employer/financial-institution contact time as possible actual costs.
Reusable tenant screening reports have their own disclosure path
The required notice must say whether the landlord accepts a comprehensive reusable tenant screening report. A landlord that says it accepts one may still access its own tenant screening report, but the prospective tenant cannot be charged for the landlord’s own report in that situation. A landlord website advertising rentals must also state its reusable-report policy on the property home page.
Rejection or conditional approval requires an adverse-action notice
If the landlord takes adverse action, the statute requires written notice stating the reasons. The statutory form covers rejection and conditional approvals such as a higher deposit, guarantor, last month’s rent or increased monthly rent and identifies the type of screening information that contributed to the action.
Documents to preserve
- Listing/application page and screening notice before information was obtained.
- Written denial criteria.
- Statement about comprehensive reusable tenant screening reports.
- Screening-report receipt or charge record.
- Any applicant-provided reusable report.
- Adverse-action notice and consumer-report agency details if applicable.
- Application decision and any conditional approval terms.
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Official sources
Current Washington screening rule requiring pre-screening notice, conditioning screening-cost charges on that notice, limiting landlord-performed screening to actual/customary costs, requiring adverse-action notices and addressing comprehensive reusable tenant screening reports.
Washington State LegislatureChapter 59.18 RCW — Residential Landlord-Tenant Act ↗Official consolidated Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.