Landlord and Tenant Resources in Pierce County
The Pierce County Center for Dispute Resolution provides conflict resolution services. Our volunteer mediators operate as neutral third parties to help individuals find their own solutions to conflict. We do not serve as advocates and are not a resource for legal information or advice. Parties come to mediation voluntarily and pay a fee for our services. If you are having a dispute with your landlord or tenant, mediation may not be the best first option. We suggest contacting the following resources.
The City of Tacoma has a Landlord-Tenant Program. The primary function of the Landlord/Tenant Program is to receive, analyze, and resolve landlord-tenant disputes that arise under the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18). This service is free and available to both property owners and tenants within the Tacoma City limits. The Coordinator, ChiQuata Elder can be reached at 253-591-5163.
The Northwest Justice Project has resources available on their website. They also operate a referral line called CLEAR.
CLEAR (Coordinated Legal Education, Advice and Referral) offers free legal assistance to low income individuals for civil legal problems. They can be reached at 1-888-201-1014 weekdays from 9:15 a.m. until 12:15 p.m.
Volunteer Legal Services also offers free legal advice. Are you unclear about the law or terms used in your lease agreement? Volunteer Legal Services sponsors, by appointment only, a Neighborhood Legal Clinic on the first three Mondays of each month, 6-8 p.m., at Pierce County Law Library, 930 Tacoma Ave. S, Tacoma, WA. Please call 253-572-5134 to make an appointment or ask for help with legal questions. Visit their website for more information.
The Tenants Union of Washington State may also have information and resources that can help you if you are a resident of King County. Their hotline, 206-723-0500, is open Mondays, 3 pm - 6 pm, Wednesdays, 3 pm - 6 pm, Thursdays, 12 noon - 4 pm. Please see their website for more information. Their website provides information for tenants in any county, so it can be a great resource for legal information.
The Washington Landlord Association can help with difficult landlord/tenant situations. They primarily assist landlords on a case by case basis through their hotline, 1-888-753-9150. They also offer some help to tenants.
The Washington State Office of the Attorney General has resources and information on Landlord-Tenant laws. This information can be found here. Here you will also find information pertaining to Landlord-Tenant laws and other information.
A Small Claims case at Pierce County District Court can be filed for the recovery of money only and must be filed in person. This amount cannot exceed $5000. District Court has put together this packet with more information.
Moving into a new apartment? You may want to use this checklist upon moving in to inspect your apartment.