Insights into Oregon Tenant Law
One thing that can determine how successful a tenancy can be is how landlord tenant laws and estate are followed. These laws provide all the resources that you need to get started with your lease.
Let’s take a closer look at the Oregon landlord tenant law and how it should be followed at all times during the tenancy.
Whether your landlord or a tenant, understanding these laws is critical to fostering a positive and lawful rental experience.
First, let’s clear up a common question. Is Oregon a landlord friendly state?
Unfortunately, the answer is no.
Oregon has many rent control policies and tenant protection measures, which can sometimes be challenging for landlords.
Let’s discuss rental agreements.
In Oregon, these can be either written or oral, but a written agreement is highly recommended.
Your lease should cover key elements like the rental properties address information about the people involved in the lease, rental payment conditions, security deposit clauses, termination and eviction clauses and more.
Landlords must follow a set of guidelines that they want to comply with federal law; both landlords and tenants have specific rights and responsibilities.
Under Oregon law landlords have the right to collect rent and deposits on time and evict tenants under certain conditions. They must also ensure the property is safe and habitable and complete repairs in a timely manner.
Keep in mind that a landlord cannot pursue an eviction suit against their tenant if they’re exercising their housing rights.
Tenants have the right to live in the habitable unit or request necessary repairs and even take alternative action if the landlord fails to provide repairs at a reasonable time.
They also have responsibilities like paying rent on time, maintaining the property and not disturbing neighbors. Oregon’s landlord tenant law contains various general clauses concerning rent payments, security deposits, lease termination, eviction, and more.
For instance, the law provides many rent control policies and landlords need to follow these when deciding the rent. Importantly, if the unit is older than 15 years, landlords can’t raise the rent by more than 7% each year.
Oregon law allows landlords to collect a security deposit to collect unexpected expenses, such as unpaid rent or utility fees or damages that exceed regular wear and tear.
There’s no specified maximum or minimum amount for this, but it should be reasonable. This deposit must be returned within 31 days of the tenant moving out if the landlord doesn’t comply within the required timeframe, the tenant may seek a lawsuit and tenants can request lease termination after giving due notice.
Depending on the lease term, a weekly lease and a quarterly lease do not have a required amount of notice.
But a monthly lease has either a 30 day or 60 day notice depending on the terms duration, a yearly lease has a 30 day notice for landlords, there are certain conditions under which they can pursue eviction, including non payment of rent, breach of tenancy conditions or criminal activity.
However, landlords cannot evict their tenant from the premises as a form of retaliation. Now, there are other clauses and rules too, like housing discrimination laws, rules around landlords right to entry, small claims court procedures, block changing rules and local laws.
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
What are the smoking policies for properties in Oregon
In Oregon, whether or not a tenant is allowed to smoke is typically covered in the lease agreements.
Does the landlord have to inform the tenant about the 100 year floodplain?
Landlords are indeed required to inform their tenant if the building is in a 100 year floodplain.
Is the landlord responsible for disclosing information about lead paint on the property if the building was built before 1978?
Yes, landlords must provide information about concentrations of lead paint.
Are pets allowed on properties in Oregon
while landlords in Oregon have the final say on whether Pets are allowed or not. They are required to accommodate tenants with service animals to conclude while these laws may seem complex, understanding them as the best way to ensure a smooth tenancy.
If you need additional legal advice, we recommend contacting a local lawyer or real estate manager.
