Oregon Standard Residential Rental Agreement

The Oregon Standard Residential Rental Agreement, also known as a “Rental Lease,” is a document used for establishing the protections and obligations afforded to landlords and tenants for the term of the lease, which is typically one (1) year. Although using a written lease isn’t mandatory in Oregon, doing so is highly recommended due to the fact that it serves as more of a legally-binding relationship than a spoken agreement provides.

A residential lease is commonly signed after a landlord has screened the tenant(s) in detail, found they have no disqualifying qualities, and offered them the option to enter into an agreement. Once the tenant(s) have read through the form in full and decided they can comply with all listed conditions, they will sign and print their name onto the contract (along with the landlord). Being a template, the form can be edited to meet any unique renting situations the landlord may have.

State Laws

Maximum Security Deposit: No statute. Landlords are free to request whatever deposit they deem fair. Landlords are permitted to charge pet deposits so long the pet is not a service animal.

Returning Security Deposits (§ 90.300(13)): Once the lease officially terminates and the tenant has relinquished the property, landlords have thirty-one (31) days to return the full (or remainder) of the deposit to the tenant.

Emergency Entry (§ 90.322(b)): If a landlord needs to enter a rental to remedy a problem that would cause severe damage if left unchecked, they need to provide the tenant(s) with the following information within twenty-four (24) hours after they have left the property:

  1. Both the date and time of their entry,
  2. The nature of the emergency, and
  3. The name(s) of the individuals that entered the property.