new property manager says tenants pay for 1st time winterization

[absurd6]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WA state

A rental house was recently sold to a property managment company and the current tenants were told they had 3 days (given on the 27th) to sign the new lease with the property management company or move out.

In the new lease it holds the tenants responsible for winterization of the pipes, which were known by the previous owner to be susceptible to freezing, yet no winterization measures were taken by the previous owner to remedy the problem before the sale.

The new tenants were put on notice by the property management company that they had a finite amount of time to winterize the pipes against freezing, or a contractor would be called, whos fees would be charged to the tenants.

1)Is it legal to hold tenants resposible for 1st time winterization of the pipes.
2)Wouldn't the inclusion this clause in the new lease be unenforceable?

Thanks for any educated insight

[FarmerJ]

do the current tenants have any kind of written lease ? or are they month to month renters ? normally it is the LL who arranges and pays for all maint needed to preserve the mechanical /structural components of a property. So what does the lease say about the tenant taking steps to maintain the property ? If they are month to month renters they should consider giving proper notice to move out so the new LL can try that with the next tenant. since it appears the new LL is going to be a problem.

[Who's Liable?]

Originally Posted by FarmerJ

do the current tenants have any kind of written lease ? or are they month to month renters ? normally it is the LL who arranges and pays for all maint needed to preserve the mechanical /structural components of a property. So what does the lease say about the tenant taking steps to maintain the property ? If they are month to month renters they should consider giving proper notice to move out so the new LL can try that with the next tenant. since it appears the new LL is going to be a problem.

X2...

If there is an existing lease, it automatically survives the sale of the house and CANNOT be changed unless there is a WRITTEN consent of all signed parties.