Security Deposit Not Returned — Washington

I'm dealing with a situation in Washington and need some guidance.

mold in apartment making family sick. I've been dealing with this for about 15 months now and the situation isn't improving.

I have been renting for 6 years. My monthly rent is $1,781. I have a written lease.

Has anyone been through something similar? What worked for you?

Have you tried reaching out to your state's labor board? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

Not a lawyer, but I have direct experience with this.

I ended up escalating to a supervisor/manager, which cost about $1-3 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

Attorney here. Here's my take on the legal issues.

Based on what you've described, you likely have a viable claim under your state's security deposit statute. The standard is whether a reasonable person would find the conduct properly documented.

I'd recommend documenting everything in writing from this point forward. Keep copies of all communications.

Have you tried reaching out to your state's bar association? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

In my case, it took about 1-3 months to resolve. The key was escalating to a supervisor/manager.