Renters' Rights
OSPIRG Renters Rights Guide
1996 Edition
Table of Contents
Preface - District Judge Michael Marcus
Introduction
Chapter 1: Finding a Place to Live
A. Where to look
B. Credit Checks
C. Tenant Screening Services
D. Application Fees
E. Reservation Deposit
Chapter 2: Discrimination
A. Disabled Tenants
B. Familial Status
C. Sexual Orientation
D. Identifying Discrimination
E. What to Do
Chapter 3: Before Signing
A. Periodic vs. Lease (Term)
B. The Agreement Can Include . . .
C. Disclosures
D. The Agreement Cannot Include . . .
E. Transfer of Possession
F. Inventory and Condition Reports
G. Checklist Before Signing
Chapter 4: The Security Deposit
A. Security Deposits, Fees & Advance Rent
B. Recovering the Deposit
C. Unreturned or Misused Deposits
Chapter 5: Moving In
A. All About Rent
B. Utilities and Services
C. Tenant Rights and Responsibilities
Chapter 6: Repairs
A. Landlord Rights and Responsibilities
B. Access
C. Negotiation
D. Tenant Remedies for Lack of General Repairs
E. Tenant Remedies for Lack of Essential Services
Chapter 7: Other Remedies for Extreme Situations
A. Unlawful and Dangerous Rentals
B. Damage for Physical and Emotional Distress
C. Other Sources of Remedies
Chapter 8: Moving Out
A. Regular Terminations
B. Early Terminations
Chapter 9: Evictions & Other Landlord Remedies
A. Forcible Entries and Detainers
B. Types of Evictions
C. Retaliation
D. The Eviction Process
E. Defending Against an Eviction
Chapter 10: Dealing with Personal Property After the Tenant Leaves
A. Removing Abandoned Property
B. Storing the Property
C. Disposal of Property
D. Recovering the Property
Appendices
A. Inventory and Condition Report
B. Model Residential Rental Agreement
C. Referral Telephone Numbers
This is not a complete copy of the handbook. Sections in italics are not available online.
Our sincere thanks go to the following people, whose help enabled us to produce this new and improved version of the Handbook:
David Tatman, Oregon Department of Justice
Emily Cedarleaf, Multifamily Housing Council of Oregon
Bob Huggins, Multnomah County Legal Aid
Liora Berry, Community Action of Washington County
John Campbell, Campbell-Delong Resources, Inc.
Cynthia Ingebretson, Fair Housing Council of Oregon
Oregon Economic Development Department
Linda Miller and The University of Oregon Legal Services Department, for help in putting together this online version.
Thanks to Mr. G.B. Trudeau and the Universal Press syndicate for permission to use Doonesbury.
Thanks to Judge Michael Marcus for his preface and assistance on every prior edition of the Handbook. This is an online version of OSPIRG's 1996 Renters' Rights Guide. To get involved with the current project to update the Guide for 2008, please contact us.
Copyright 1996 by the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly forbidden without prior written permission and is never permitted for commercial purposes.
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