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Guides for Washington landlords and homeowners
Plain-English answers about rental turnovers, vacancy costs and smoke damage, written from years of apartment maintenance.
Rental Turnover Checklist for Washington LandlordsA rental turnover should move in order: document the unit, check safety items, make repairs, patch and paint, fix floors, then do the final clean and final photos. In Washington, the owner must make sure smoke alarms work before a vacant unit is reoccupied, carbon monoxide alarms are required in residential buildings, and paid work that disturbs paint in pre-1978 housing falls under the state's lead-safe (RRP) rules.How Long Should a Rental Turnover Take, and What Does Each Vacant Day Cost?A rental turnover should take as long as its scope needs and no longer, because each vacant day costs about one day of rent: monthly rent divided by 30.4. At RentCafe's September 2026 average for a Bothell two-bedroom ($2,482), that is about $82 a day, so a 21-day turn loses about $1,143 more rent than a 7-day turn.Nicotine and Smoke Residue in Rentals: How to Tell, Clean, Seal and PaintTo fix nicotine and smoke residue in a rental, clean it first, then seal it, then paint. Wash ceilings first and walls from the bottom up with a degreaser or TSP-type cleaner, rinse, let dry, prime with a shellac or oil-based stain blocker, and finish with two coats of paint. Researchers recommend replacing smoke-soaked carpet rather than trying to clean it.
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