Oregon Tenant Lease Rights for the Disabled
A disabled tenant in Oregon is granted specific rights under the Oregon Landlord and Tenant Act. This act consists of different rules and regulations that concern overall lease agreements between residential landlords and tenants. Specific statutes within this act provide rights enabling disabled tenants to have adequate and convenient living quarters.
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Definition
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Oregon's landlord and tenant laws define a disabled person as a person with a mental or physical impairment that limits the ability of the person to perform everyday functions. Additional disabled legislation is contained in the Civil Rights for Disabled People and Oregon Disability Discrimination Statute.
Guide Dogs and Service Animals
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The Oregon legislature does not consider a guide dog a pet. When a service animal is needed to assist with a disabled person's everyday living, a landlord must allow the animal in the rental unit. No-pet lease terms do not apply to a service animal, and pet rent or deposits cannot be charged.
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Discrimination
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At no point before, during or after the tenancy can a landlord discriminate against a tenant because of a disability. The landlord cannot turn down a rental application because of disability or the need for a service animal. The landlord also cannot attempt to force a tenant to leave because of a disability, and eviction for reasons of disability is illegal.
Improvements
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The Civil Rights for Disabled People provides remedies for disabled tenants that need to make changes to the property in order to provide equal opportunity of enjoying the rental unit. The changes must be reasonable, and are considered the expense of the disabled tenant. The tenant must also ensure that the property is restored to original condition at the end of the tenancy, unless otherwise requested by the landlord. A landlord may also adjust the regulations and rules of the lease in order to provide reasonable accommodations to a disabled tenant.
Medical Privacy
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A landlord does not have the right to be informed of a specific disability or other medical problem. The only exception to this rule is in specialized housing for disabled people.
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References
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