Oregon Statutes 90.322 – Landlord or agent access to premises; remedies
(1) A landlord or, to the extent provided in this section, a landlord’s agent may enter into the tenant’s dwelling unit or any portion of the premises under the tenant’s exclusive control in order to inspect the premises, make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations or improvements, supply necessary or agreed services, perform agreed yard maintenance or grounds keeping or exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers or contractors. The right of access of the landlord or landlord’s agent is limited as follows:
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 90.322
- Conduct: means the commission of an act or the failure to act. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Dwelling unit: means a structure or the part of a structure that is used as a home, residence or sleeping place by one person who maintains a household or by two or more persons who maintain a common household. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Facility: means a manufactured dwelling park or a marina. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Floating home: has the meaning given that term in ORS § 830. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Good faith: means honesty in fact in the conduct of the transaction concerned. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Landlord: includes a person who is authorized by the owner, lessor or sublessor to manage the premises or to enter into a rental agreement. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Manufactured dwelling: includes an accessory building or structure. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Person: includes an individual or organization. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Rent: means any payment to be made to the landlord under the rental agreement, periodic or otherwise, in exchange for the right of a tenant and any permitted pet to occupy a dwelling unit to the exclusion of others and to use the premises. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Rental agreement: includes a lease. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
- Week-to-week tenancy: means a tenancy that has all of the following characteristics:
(a) Occupancy is charged on a weekly basis and is payable no less frequently than every seven days;
(b) There is a written rental agreement that defines the landlord's and the tenant's rights and responsibilities under this chapter; and
(c) There are no fees or security deposits, although the landlord may require the payment of an applicant screening charge, as provided in ORS § 90. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
(a) A landlord or landlord’s agent may enter upon the premises under the tenant’s exclusive control not including the dwelling unit without consent of the tenant and without notice to the tenant, for the purpose of serving notices required or permitted under this chapter, the rental agreement or any provision of applicable law.
(b) In case of an emergency, a landlord may enter the dwelling unit or any portion of the premises under a tenant’s exclusive control without consent of the tenant, without notice to the tenant and at any time. ‘Emergency’ includes but is not limited to a repair problem that, unless remedied immediately, is likely to cause serious damage to the premises. If a landlord makes an emergency entry in the tenant’s absence, the landlord shall give the tenant actual notice within 24 hours after the entry, and the notice shall include the fact of the entry, the date and time of the entry, the nature of the emergency and the names of the persons who entered.
(c) If the tenant requests repairs or maintenance in writing, the landlord or landlord’s agent, without further notice, may enter upon demand, in the tenant’s absence or without the tenant’s consent, for the purpose of making the requested repairs until the repairs are completed. The tenant’s written request may specify allowable times. Otherwise, the entry must be at a reasonable time. The authorization to enter provided by the tenant’s written request expires after seven days, unless the repairs are in progress and the landlord or landlord’s agent is making a reasonable effort to complete the repairs in a timely manner. If the person entering to do the repairs is not the landlord, upon request of the tenant, the person must show the tenant written evidence from the landlord authorizing that person to act for the landlord in making the repairs.
(d) A landlord and tenant may agree that the landlord or the landlord’s agent may enter the dwelling unit and the premises without notice at reasonable times for the purpose of showing the premises to a prospective buyer, provided that the agreement:
(A) Is executed at a time when the landlord is actively engaged in attempts to sell the premises;
(B) Is reflected in a writing separate from the rental agreement and signed by both parties; and
(C) Is supported by separate consideration recited in the agreement.
(e)(A) If a written agreement requires the landlord to perform yard maintenance or grounds keeping for the premises:
(i) A landlord and tenant may agree that the landlord or landlord’s agent may enter for that purpose upon the premises under the tenant’s exclusive control not including the dwelling unit, without notice to the tenant, at reasonable times and with reasonable frequency. The terms of the right of entry must be described in the rental agreement or in a separate written agreement.
(ii) A tenant may deny consent for a landlord or landlord’s agent to enter upon the premises pursuant to this paragraph if the entry is at an unreasonable time or with unreasonable frequency. The tenant must assert the denial by giving actual notice of the denial to the landlord or landlord’s agent prior to, or at the time of, the attempted entry.
(B) As used in this paragraph:
(i) ‘Yard maintenance or grounds keeping’ includes, but is not limited to, weeding, mowing grass and pruning trees and shrubs.
(ii) ‘Unreasonable time’ refers to a time of day, day of the week or particular time that conflicts with the tenant’s reasonable and specific plans to use the premises.
(f) In all other cases, unless there is an agreement between the landlord and the tenant to the contrary regarding a specific entry, the landlord shall give the tenant at least 24 hours’ actual notice of the intent of the landlord to enter and the landlord or landlord’s agent may enter only at reasonable times. The landlord or landlord’s agent may not enter if the tenant, after receiving the landlord’s notice, denies consent to enter. The tenant must assert this denial of consent by giving actual notice of the denial to the landlord or the landlord’s agent or by attaching a written notice of the denial in a secure manner to the main entrance to that portion of the premises or dwelling unit of which the tenant has exclusive control, prior to or at the time of the attempt by the landlord or landlord’s agent to enter.
(2) A landlord may not abuse the right of access or use it to harass the tenant. A tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent from the landlord to enter.
(3) This section does not apply to tenancies consisting of a rental of space in a facility for a manufactured dwelling or floating home under ORS § 90.505 to 90.850.
(4) If a tenancy consists of rented space for a manufactured dwelling or floating home that is owned by the tenant, but the tenancy is not subject to ORS § 90.505 to 90.850 because the space is not in a facility, this section shall allow access only to the rented space and not to the dwelling or home.
(5) A landlord has no other right of access except:
(a) Pursuant to court order;
(b) As permitted by ORS § 90.410 (2); or
(c) When the tenant has abandoned or relinquished the premises.
(6) If a landlord is required by a governmental agency to enter a dwelling unit or any portion of the premises under a tenant’s exclusive control, but the landlord fails to gain entry after a good faith effort in compliance with this section, the landlord may not be found in violation of any state statute or local ordinance due to the failure.
(7) If the tenant refuses to allow lawful access, the landlord may obtain injunctive relief to compel access or may terminate the rental agreement under ORS § 90.392 and take possession as provided in ORS § 105.100 to 105.168. In addition, the landlord may recover actual damages.
(8) If the landlord makes an unlawful entry or a lawful entry in an unreasonable manner or makes repeated demands for entry otherwise lawful but that have the effect of unreasonably harassing the tenant, the tenant may obtain injunctive relief to prevent the reoccurrence of the conduct or may terminate the rental agreement pursuant to ORS § 90.360 (1). In addition, the tenant may recover actual damages not less than an amount equal to one week’s rent in the case of a week-to-week tenancy or one month’s rent in all other cases. [Formerly 90.335; 1997 c.577 § 18; 1999 c.603 § 19; 1999 c.676 § 12; 2005 c.391 § 20]