landlord-tenant law

Published on: May 5, 2009

Oregon Renters / Tenants in Foreclosed Housing: 2009 SB 952

By Laura Orr

Today’s Oregonian has an editorial by Oregon Senator Bonamici and Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish about Senate Bill: 2009 SB 952 (A-Engrossed) in PDF or HTML:

Excerpt from the editorial: Renters, too, can face the hit of foreclosure:

“Losing a home to foreclosure can be devastating. Typically, homeowners come to mind when we think of foreclosure. But the fact is, many foreclosed properties are places that renters call home, too….
…
The Oregon Legislature is working on Senate Bill 952 to protect tenants whose homes are in danger of foreclosure. This bill would require that in addition to the property owner, tenants be provided with foreclosure notice. Tenants without a lease would receive 30 days notice. Tenants with a lease would receive up to 60 days notice. SB 952 also protects tenants’ security deposits, requiring that landlords in foreclosure apply the deposit toward rent. The bill gives tenants time to look for a new home and save money for expenses….” (read full editorial)

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Published on: March 31, 2009

A Lease of Your Own: Renting a Room in Someone’s Oregon Home

By Laura Orr

Welcoming a renter into your home is a serious matter, whether that person is a friend, family member, or stranger. Becoming a tenant in someone’s home is equally serious. Make sure there is a lease.

Do you want to draft a Lease of Your Own?

1) There are “fill in the blank” forms, online and in print, but … there is no such thing as a free lunch, nor a Get Rid of a Bad Tenant (or escape a bad landlord) Free card. Use the online forms, but Caveat Emptor – and read on ….

2) Make sure you read about Oregon landlord-tenant law, Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS). The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA) is a complex tangle of rights, obligations, and protections.

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Published on: December 8, 2008

Oregon Landlord-Tenant Law: Habitability Questions

By Laura Orr

From the Washington County (Oregon) Law Librarian:

Rental property Habitability questions can be separate from Repair questions for landlord and tenants, but the two can overlap, as you might imagine.

Habitability questions we hear in the law library can be a broad as: what does a habitable apartment looks like? Or, as specific as: does an apartment have to have a window large enough for me to climb out?
There are a number of excellent sources of information on Oregon landlord-tenant law, online (e.g. this from the Oregon State Bar (OSB) and these) and in print (note: the OSB link has been fixed.) The latter print resources include Janay Haas’s “Landlord/Tenant Rights in Oregon,” which most public and law libraries have (unless their copies have been stolen – sigh) and some other landlord-tenant resources not online but available at your county law library.

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