I was watching Countdown with Keith Olbermann on my Chromebook in the lobby of city hall when I couldn't help but overhear the conversation at the table next to me, three guys, well dressed, one larger, older, clearly one of the 1%, and as they talked I understood him to be an expert in the affairs of landlords and probably a landlord himself. This was a guy I had questions for.
So as they broke up and he headed across the lobby, I walked up, introduced myself, and asked him if he'd mind answering a few questions. I never got his name. Maybe that's why he was so forthright. My main question, is there any way to LEGALLY occupy a vacant space in Seattle? Here's my interpretation of what he said...
As soon as you move into a vacant property, you are de facto legally creating a landlord/tenant relationship with the owner of the property. This makes the owner of the property legally responsible for all those things landlords are liable for in their area, in Seattle, upkeep, like fixing the plumbing, etc.
Of course there are landlord/tenant agreements where the tenant agrees to take care of such things, so everything is negotiable. So one good thing to do upon occupying a vacant property is draw up a legal paper indemnifying the landlord and not only agreeing to but actually doing all necessary repair work. The whole idea is if you're not costing the landlord anything, if you're actually improving the property, they won't have an incentive to evict you since eviction itself costs money.
Having a vacant property isn't a tax write-off. There is no monetary incentive for landlords to leave properties vacant, just laziness. Pay the legitimate landlord ANYTHING and it's profit they weren't making before. Mail off that check for $10 rent every month. All they have to do is cash one of them and you're set.
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