How a Process Server Can Help Landlords

Landlord Resources

Managing a rental property comes with plenty of responsibilities. When a tenant needs to receive a legal notice or court document, making sure the documents are properly delivered can become another challenge.

A professional process server can help landlords and property managers with the delivery and documentation of legal documents, particularly when a tenant is difficult to locate, unavailable, or when the landlord wants an independent record of service.

Klickitat Process Service provides professional process serving throughout Klickitat County and Skamania County, including Goldendale, White Salmon, Bingen, Stevenson, Carson, and surrounding communities.

What Can a Process Server Do for a Landlord?

Depending on the circumstances and the requirements that apply to the particular document, a process server may assist with serving documents such as:

• Eviction-related documents
• Unlawful detainer documents
• Notices
• Summonses and complaints
• Court orders
• Subpoenas
• Other legal documents

The specific requirements for delivering a particular document can vary. Landlords should make sure they understand the applicable Washington laws and court requirements or consult an attorney when necessary.

Maintaining a Professional Separation From Tenants

Landlords may prefer not to personally handle the delivery of legal documents to a tenant.

Using an independent process server allows the landlord to maintain a professional relationship with the tenant while a neutral third party handles the service assignment.

This can be particularly helpful when the landlord and tenant already have a strained relationship or when the landlord anticipates that the tenant may be difficult to serve.

Personal Service vs. Posting: What Landlords Should Know

Not every document delivered to a tenant is served in the same way. The appropriate method depends on the type of document, the circumstances, and the Washington law or court rule that applies.

For landlords, one important distinction is between personal service and certain forms of alternative service by posting and mailing.

Personal Service

Personal service involves delivering the documents directly to the person who is required to receive them, when personal service is the method required or authorized for the particular document.

A process server can make documented attempts to locate and personally serve a tenant at an appropriate address or other location.

Service by Posting

Posting involves affixing documents in a conspicuous location at the premises.

Depending on the applicable law, posting may also need to be accompanied by mailing or other required steps.

For landlords, this distinction is particularly important because simply placing a document on a tenant’s door does not automatically constitute legally sufficient service.

Serving Notices to Vacate

Landlords may need to provide tenants with written notice to vacate for a variety of reasons.

The required notice period depends on the circumstances and applicable Washington law. Depending on the situation, Washington law provides for different notice periods, which may include 20, 30, 60, or 90 days.

For example, Washington law currently provides for at least 90 days’ advance written notice when an owner elects to sell a qualifying single-family residence, subject to the requirements of RCW 59.18.650.

Other circumstances may have different notice requirements.

Because the appropriate notice depends on the circumstances of the tenancy, landlords should determine which notice is legally required before arranging service.

So Can a Notice to Vacate Simply Be Posted?

Sometimes.

Washington law provides several methods for serving certain notices. Under RCW 59.12.040 a notice may be:

1. Personally delivered,
2. Left with a person of suitable age and discretion when the tenant is absent, or
3. Affixed in a conspicuous place on the premises and mailed to the tenant when the tenant’s residence is unknown or a suitable person cannot be found.

Posting and mailing is not automatically an acceptable substitute for personal service for every notice or legal document.

Eviction and Unlawful Detainer Service

If a tenant does not comply with a landlord’s notice and the landlord begins an unlawful detainer action, additional legal documents may need to be served.

An unlawful detainer case generally involves a summons and complaint, which have specific service requirements.

Under certain circumstances, RCW 59.18.055 allows an alternative service procedure after the required due diligence has been exercised. Depending on the applicable statute and circumstances, this may involve:

1. Attempts to personally serve the tenant at least three times over not less than two days and at different times of day;
2. Posting the summons and complaint in a conspicuous place on the premises; and
3. Mailing copies to the tenant by the required methods.

This is different from simply posting a notice to vacate because the tenant was not home.

Landlords should make sure the statutory requirements for personal service have been satisfied before posting and mailing.

How Klickitat Process Service Can Help

Klickitat Process Service provides both personal service and service by posting & mailing for assignments where the applicable law permits those methods.

For personal service, our standard service includes up to four documented attempts at different times, including morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend attempts. For Complaints & Summonses, we will post and mail the notice on the 4th attempt unless directed otherwise.

For qualifying posting assignments, we can document the posting with timestamped, GPS-tracked photographs and provide the appropriate service documentation.

If you are a landlord or property manager in Klickitat County or Skamania County and need documents served on a tenant, contact Klickitat Process Service to discuss your assignment.

Important Legal Information

This page provides general information about how a process server may assist landlords and property managers. It is not legal advice.

Eviction, unlawful detainer, notice, and service requirements can be complicated and may depend on the circumstances of the case. Requirements can also change over time.

If you are unsure which documents you need to serve, when they must be served, or what method of service is required, consult a qualified Washington attorney or review the applicable laws and court rules.