Spokane tenants are protected from landlord harassment, retaliation, and self-help eviction under RCW 59.18.240 (anti-retaliation) and RCW 59.18.290 (against utility shutoffs and lockouts), with damages available for violations.
WA RCW 59.18.240 prohibits landlord retaliation against tenants who report code violations, request repairs, or organize tenant associations. RCW 59.18.290 makes it unlawful for landlords to remove a tenant's belongings, change locks, shut off utilities, or otherwise exercise self-help eviction. Tenants subjected to these acts may recover actual damages plus statutory penalties up to $500 per violation. Spokane has not enacted broader city-level anti-harassment ordinances of the kind seen in Seattle, but state law provides core protection against the most common landlord coercion tactics.
Self-help evictions (lockouts, utility shutoffs, belonging removal) under RCW 59.18.290 expose landlords to actual damages, statutory penalties up to $500 per violation, and attorney fees.
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