If a tenant notifies the landlord that he or she, or another tenant who shares that particular dwelling unit has been threatened by another tenant, and: (1) The threat was made with a firearm or other deadly weapon as defined in RCW 9A.04.110; and (2) The tenant who made the threat is arrested as a result of the threatening behavior; and (3) The landlord fails to file an unlawful detainer action against the tenant who threatened another tenant within seven calendar days after receiving notice of the arrest from a law enforcement agency; then the tenant who was threatened may terminate the rental agreement and quit the premises upon written notice to the landlord without further obligation under the rental agreement. A tenant who terminates a rental agreement under this section is discharged from payment of rent for any period following the quitting date, and is entitled to a pro rata refund of any prepaid rent, and shall receive a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit together with any refund due in accordance with RCW 59.18.280. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a landlord to terminate a rental agreement or file an unlawful detainer action. [ 1992 c 38 s 5.]
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