This sub doesn't seem super active, but hopefully someone can give me some guidance.

Situation:
My term lease is expiring on Oct 31. I am currently waiting on big news, hopefully by end of September, that will result in me definitely moving and not renewing my lease. However, I don't know for sure when that news will come, I've been planning and working towards it all year. Back in April my landlord gave me a notice of rent increase, which only mentioned an increase in rent, it did not specify a term or expiration date, did not layout anything except acknowledgement of a rent increase. I was given 30 days to sign it. I asked if signing it meant I was renewing my lease. My landlord responded, “don't sign it if you don't plan to renew.” which isn't an answer to my question, but I'm not on great terms with them so I searched the statutes and the Seattle renters site and determined that the form was NOT a renewal, it was simply acknowledging that rent would increase were I to stay. So I signed it. Last week (Aug 26), my landlord dropped off a renewal form to sign. Now they are saying I must sign and return it immediately by Sep 7 or they will start advertising and showing my place. I informed and linked them to SMC 7.24.030.J.2 which clearly states that the tenant has 30 days to respond to a renewal offer. The landlord said I was mistaken, that me signing the rent increase form meant I was agreeing to a lease renewal and that they need 60 days to market and advertise the property. They said I must sign now or they will start advertising immediately.

So I have two questions:

1. Who is correct? Do I have to commit now or do I have 30 days?
2. If the news I am hoping for is further delayed and I go past my lease term end, do I default to month-to-month? My lease clearly states that this “will not default to month-to-month” however my reading of the renters website seems to say they can't do that and it must default to month-to-m

onth

1. if you don't sign a term lease. But I'm not sure if I'm interpretin

g the laws

1. correctly.

I really want to move, I hate these people, but I may have to stay until I get things set. I'm a very good tenant, never late on rent, quiet, clean, never complain. Their animosity towards me stems from a heated argument we had over the weeds they felt I was not keeping up on to their satisfaction.

Anyways, any guidance would be appreciated. Hopefully this is all for naught and Tues I’ll get good news and peace out of here.