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Timothy B. Fennessy's Answers

Timothy B. Fennessy
Spokane Litigation Lawyer.
Contributor Level 3

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Attorney answers:

  1. Timothy B. Fennessy
  2. Thuong-Tri Nguyen

Seller refuse to return earnest money

Asked by a user in Seattle, WA - over 2 years ago.

If you agreed that the "earnest money" would be used as a "damage deposit" while you rented the property, then you should ask for it to be returned under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act. You can find the specific RCWs on line (look for RCW 59.18.010 and following), but generally the Landlord needs to designate any "non-refundable" money in writing. So, if there is no such writing, the "damage deposit" should be refundable upon written request. If they plan to keep the deposit, they must...