Rudeen Management $2.9M Washington Tenant Settlement

Tenants at Washington state residential properties owned or managed by Rudeen Management Co. Inc. between Aug. 10, 2014, and May 19, 2023, may be eligible to claim a cash payment from a class action settlement.

Rudeen Management Co. Inc. agreed to pay $2,900,000 to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it failed to:

• Provide tenants with full and specific deposit statements
• Issue timely security refunds as required by Washington law
• Issue detailed statements to tenants upon move-out or abandonment

Who are the class members?

Individuals must meet all of the following criteria:

• They rented a property in Washington state that Rudeen Management Co. Inc. owned or managed.
• They paid a damage and/or security deposit at or after the start of their tenancy.
• They vacated or abandoned the property between Aug. 10, 2014, and May 19, 2023.
• At the time of move-out or abandonment, Rudeen served as the landlord as defined by RCW 59.18.030(16).
• Fifteen or more days after the end of the rental agreement and move-out (or after Rudeen learned of abandonment), Rudeen withheld all or part of their deposit and/or
• Before June 6, 2016, they did not receive a full and specific statement explaining the basis for retaining the deposit (or a portion of it) within 14 days after move-out or abandonment or
• On or after June 6, 2016, they did not receive a full and specific statement within 21 days after move-out or abandonment or Rudeen withheld all or part of the deposit after 22 days

For tenancies with more than one tenant, each tenant is considered a class member and will receive an equal share of the payment for that tenancy.

How much can class members receive?

The settlement administrator will distribute the settlement fund to class members after deducting attorneys’ fees and costs, class representative and service awards, and administration costs. Each tenancy will receive a share of the remaining fund based on the deposit amount it paid under that tenancy. The anticipated payout is approximately 80% of the deposit paid, but the exact percentage may change depending on the final deductions and number of valid class members.

No action needed to receive payment

Class members do not need to file a claim to receive their share of the settlement. The settlement administrator identified those who received a notice as class members who will automatically receive a payment unless they choose to exclude themselves from the settlement.

Class members who need to update their contact information can do so through the settlement administrator.

Settlement administrator's mailing address: Rudeen Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 3637, Baton Rouge, LA 70821

Settlement administrator's phone number: 1-844-536-0555

Settlement administrator's email address: info@RudeenDepositRefund.com

Individuals who wish to be excluded from the settlement must send a signed letter or email to the settlement administrator by May 29, 2026, stating their name, address, phone number and request.

Payout options

• Electronic payment (with the option to select a digital payment method)
• Mailed check

$2.9 million settlement fund breakdown

The $2,900,000 settlement fund includes:

• Settlement administration costs: At least $45,000
• Attorneys’ fees: Up to $966,667
• Attorneys’ expenses: To be determined
• Service award to class representative: Up to $20,000
• Payments to class members: Remainder of the fund

The settlement administrator will donate any unclaimed funds to the Legal Foundation of Washington and Inland Empire Legal Aid.

Important dates

• Exclusion deadline: May 29, 2026
• Fairness hearing: July 31, 2026

When is the Rudeen Management Co. Inc. settlement payout date?

The settlement administrator will distribute payments within 60 days after the court resolves any appeals and grants final approval of the settlement.

Why did this class action settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit alleged Rudeen Management Co. Inc. did not provide its tenants with full and specific deposit statements or timely refunds of security deposits as required by Washington law. The court found Rudeen violated RCW 59.18.280 and should pay each class member twice their deposit amount.

To avoid further litigation and appeals, the parties agreed to settle. Rudeen denies any wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to resolve the matter and avoid further costs and uncertainty.

Sources

1. Class notice
2. Settlement agreement
3. Settlement FAQ