RCW 59.18.300 covers water, heat, electricity and gas, except reasonable repair interruptions.
After proper notice, RCW 59.18.070 sets the 24-hour category when a covered condition deprives the tenant of hot/cold water, heat or electricity.
RCW 35.21.217 applies in specified city/town electric or water account situations involving occupied rental property.
These sources should not be presented as a general statewide allocation or submeter billing formula.
If the landlord intentionally turns off a utility
RCW 59.18.300 makes it unlawful for a landlord to intentionally terminate a tenant’s water, heat, electricity or gas except for a reasonable interruption to make necessary repairs. The statute provides for actual damages, possible daily statutory damages and recovery of costs/attorney fees by the prevailing party.
If an essential utility is lost because of a condition the landlord must address
RCW 59.18.060 requires landlords to maintain supplied electrical, plumbing and heating facilities in reasonably good working order and to provide facilities adequate to supply heat, water and hot water. After the tenant gives the notice described by RCW 59.18.070, loss of hot/cold water, heat or electricity falls into the statute’s 24-hour category for commencing remedial action, subject to circumstances beyond the landlord’s control.
If the building utility account is in the landlord’s name
RCW 35.21.217 creates a separate protection for specified city/town electric or water systems. In covered multi-unit or tenant-occupied account situations, the city or town must make a good-faith and reasonable effort to give written notice at the service address at least seven calendar days before disconnection. The statute also addresses continued service, prior delinquent amounts and a rent deduction for reasonable charges a tenant pays to keep covered service on after landlord nonpayment.
Heat-alert protection is a current separate rule
The current version of RCW 59.18.060 restricts involuntary termination of electric or water service due to nonpayment on days covered by specified National Weather Service heat-related alerts. Treat this as a service-continuity rule, not a rule deciding whether a disputed utility charge or allocation is mathematically correct.
What to save before escalating a Washington utility problem
- Lease and utility addendum showing who is responsible for each service.
- Utility or third-party bill plus account holder name.
- Any shutoff or delinquency notice sent to the property.
- Written notice you sent the landlord about loss of service and proof of delivery.
- Receipts for amounts paid directly to a city/town utility to maintain service.
- Meter, submeter or allocation records if the dispute is about billing math rather than shutoff.
Compare this topic across states
Official sources
Current landlord-duty statute covering electrical, plumbing and heating facilities, adequate heat/water/hot-water facilities and current restrictions on involuntary electric or water termination during qualifying heat alerts.
Washington State LegislatureRCW 59.18.070 — repair notice and response times ↗Current statute requiring remedial action to commence within 24 hours after proper tenant notice when a covered condition deprives the tenant of hot/cold water, heat or electricity, subject to circumstances beyond the landlord’s control.
Washington State LegislatureRCW 59.18.300 — intentional utility termination prohibited ↗Primary law making intentional landlord termination of tenant water, heat, electricity or gas unlawful except a reasonable repair interruption, and describing statutory damages and fee recovery.
Washington State LegislatureRCW 35.21.217 — municipal utility shutoff notice for rental property ↗For covered city/town electric or water service, the statute requires a good-faith effort to notify affected tenants before disconnection in specified rental-account situations and addresses continued service, prior debt and rent deductions.