Washington State month to month rental with property management company issues?

[luther]

We moved in 2/11/2011 our lease came up on 3/1/2012 - we requested to remain on as month to month with no increase in rent (this was send via email to the owners of the home through the property management company). The response was OK, we could remain month to month with no increase. The owners even stopped by to see their home a couple of months ago and noted we take very good care of the property.
Now the property management company is pushing the owners to increase our rent or force us to sign a year lease or move out. How can the property management company do that?
Here's the kicker, I work at the property management company. The leasing department informed me that they will contact my owners monthly to discuss options. Then the leasing department tells me they have sent prospective future tenants for drive bys past my home. Isn't this a violation of some law.

[weiford]

Since you are month-to-month, the owners can raise the rent at any time with proper notice i(usually 30 days). you will have the opportunity to accept the rent increase or vacate the premises. The property management company is performing their fiduciary duty in looking out for the interests of the owners (they have no fiduciary duty to you). And no, there is no law broken by sending prospective tenants on a drive-by to gaug4e their interest in renting the house.

[christie42]

Everything they have done is legal. Since you are month-to-month, your rent can be raised with 30 days notice if they decide to. Just because they originally agreed to keep the rent the same, doesn't mean it will be that way forever. The only way to insure you don't have rent increases is to sign a lease for an agreed amount. They are being a bit premature giving out the location since presumably you haven't gotten anything in writing yet about increases or moving. However, if you have gotten written notice, they are just covering their bases because you haven't told them what your plans are yet so they don't know for sure you will be staying.

[larenzo]

Month to month tenancy allows the landlord to change the terms of your tenancy with 30 days notice, usually from the beginning of the month. It's perfectly legal for them to raise your rent or tell you to vacate with notice just as it's legal for you to leave with 30 days notice.

[vaiveatoish]

How can the property management company do that?
You are month to month. That's a two way street. They can change the rental terms, increase the rent, or ask you to sign a long term lease ANYTIME they want. If you don't agree to their terms, you can move out. That's what month-to month means. It does NOT mean you're guaranteed to continue on the current terms until you decide otherwise.

Isn't this a violation of some law.
No. There's nothing illegal about letting someone drive down a public road and pointing out that a particular house might be available for rent. If they want to come inside and show the house to potential tenants, they need to give you 24 hours advanced notice.

The owners and management company are not required to wait until October for a 6 month lease on your terms. It doesn't matter WHY you are looking for a new place. All that matters is that you're month to month, which means they can discuss their options and propose new terms at anytime, leaving you with 1 month to agree or move out.

It doesn't matter how long you've been on month to month. Your belief that month-to-month agreement should only be reviewed every 6 months is just plain silly. If you want to be guaranteed 6 months of the same rental terms, then propose a 6 month lease to the landord. You can't expect the landlord to give you 6 months of guarenteed terms when you won't give 6 months of guarenteed rent payments. It simply does not work that way.