Settlement Information

A proposed settlement of a class action lawsuit relates to allegations that Rudeen Management Company, Inc. (hereafter referred to as the “Defendant”) failed to provide a full and specific deposit statement and/or your entire deposit refund due within the legal timelines as required by Washington law. The case is known as Thomas Silver v. Rudeen Management Company, Inc., No. 17-2-03103-2 in the Spokane County Superior Court (the “Lawsuit”).

In the Lawsuit, the Court entered an Order finding that the Defendant violated RCW 59.18.280 and was liable to pay each Class Member two (2) times the Class Member’s respective security deposit. In lieu of further litigation and appeals related to this Order, this settlement was reached between the parties. As part of the proposed settlement, the Defendant does not admit any wrongdoing, maintains that it complied with the law, and continues to deny the Lawsuit’s allegations against it.

The proposed settlement provides for a $2,900,000 settlement fund for Settlement Class Members (persons who qualify under the definition of the Class) who do not timely exclude themselves from the settlement. The settlement fund will also be used to pay the costs and expenses of settlement administration, a Service Award to Plaintiff Thomas Silver, and Class Counsel’s attorneys’ fees and costs.

Your legal rights are affected whether you act or don’t act. Please read the Notice on the court documents page carefully.

Who Is a Class Member?

The Court has certified the following Settlement Class:

(1) All persons who rented properties owned or managed by Rudeen in the state of Washington;

(2) Who paid a damage and/or security deposit at, or any time after, the commencement of their tenancy;

(3) Who, within the three (3) years prior to the filing of this lawsuit (August 10, 2014), vacated or abandoned the property through the date this Court certified the class (May 19, 2023);

(4) Where, at the time of move-out or abandonment, Rudeen was a landlord, pursuant to RCW 59.18.030(16) of the subject property;

(5) Where, fifteen (15) or more days following termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises or, if the tenant abandoned the premises, fifteen (15) or more days after Rudeen learned of the abandonment, Rudeen withheld all, or any portion, of the deposit; and/or

(6) Where, within fourteen (14) days following termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises or, if the tenant abandoned the premises, within fourteen (14) days after Rudeen learned of the abandonment, the former tenant was not sent a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining the deposit, or a portion thereof; or

(7) In circumstances rising after the term specified in RCW 59.18.280 was amended (June 6, 2016) from fourteen (14) days to twenty-one (21) days, then where, within twenty-two (22) days following termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises or, if the tenant abandoned the premises, twenty-two (22) or more days after Rudeen learned of the abandonment, Rudeen withheld all, or any portion, of the deposit; and/or

(8) Where, within twenty-one (21) days following termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises, or if the tenant abandoned the premises, within twenty-one (21) days after Rudeen learned of the abandonment, the former tenant was not sent a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining the deposit, or a portion thereof.

Excluded from the Class are any persons who timely and validly requested exclusion from the Class; Defendant, its current and former directors and officers, and any person that has a controlling interest in Defendant; as well as the parties’ counsel and their immediate families, and the presiding Court.

Your Legal Rights and Options

Dates and Deadlines