Eviction is a legal process a landlord must take when a tenant is not abiding by the terms of their rental agreement. In Washington State, eviction proceedings can be lengthy and costly. The process of evicting someone in Washington State can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the circumstances.

Filing for Eviction

The first step in the eviction process in Washington State is for the landlord to file an eviction complaint in court. This must be done in the county where the rental property is located. The landlord must also provide a copy of the complaint to the tenant. The complaint must include:

• The tenant’s name and address
• The rental agreement between the landlord and tenant
• The reason for the eviction
• The amount of rent due

Once the complaint has been filed, the tenant has three days to respond. If the tenant does not respond within this period, the landlord can proceed with the eviction.

Court Process

After the tenant has responded, the court will set a hearing date. The tenant must appear at the hearing, or the landlord can proceed with the eviction. At the hearing, the court will consider both the landlord and tenant’s arguments. The court will then make a decision as to whether or not the eviction will proceed.

If the court orders the eviction to proceed, the tenant will be required to move out within a certain amount of time, usually 14 days. If the tenant does not move out in this time frame, the landlord can return to court and obtain a writ of restitution. The writ of restitution gives the landlord the right to have the tenant forcibly removed from the property.

Execution of the Writ

Once the writ of restitution has been issued, the landlord can return to court and have it executed. The execution of the writ is when the landlord hires a sheriff or process server to physically remove the tenant from the property. This process can take several days, depending on the availability of the sheriff or process server.

Conclusion

Evicting someone in Washington State can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the circumstances. The process begins with the landlord filing an eviction complaint in court and providing a copy to the tenant. The tenant then has three days to respond, and if they do not, the landlord can proceed with the eviction. After a hearing, the court will decide whether or not the eviction will proceed. If it does, the tenant must move out within 14 days. If they do not, the landlord can return to court and obtain a writ of restitution which is then executed by a sheriff or process server.