A. Amount of Security Deposit.
1. If a Landlord requires, as a condition of tenancy, a Security Deposit that includes last month’s
Rent, a Landlord may not collect as an additional part of the Security Deposit more than an amount equal to
one-half of one month’s Rent.
2. If a Landlord does not require last month’s Rent, a Landlord may not collect more than an amount
equal to one month’s Rent as a Security Deposit.
3. If a Landlord conditionally approves an application subject to an Applicant’s demonstration of
financial capacity or to offset risk factors identified by the Applicant screening for tenancy as described
in Section 30.01.086, the Landlord may require payment of an amount equal to one-half of
one month’s Rent as a Security Deposit in addition to the other amounts authorized in this subsection. The
Landlord must allow a Tenant to pay any such additional Security Deposit in installments over a period of up
to 3 months in installment amounts reasonably requested by the Tenant.
B. Bank Deposit of Tenant Funds.
1. Within 2 weeks following receipt of a Tenant’s funds paid as a Security Deposit or for last-month’s
Rent, a Landlord shall deposit all of such funds into a secure financial institution account segregated from
the Landlord’s personal and business operating accounts. If the account is an interest-bearing account, all
interest shall accrue proportionately to the benefit of the Tenant and shall be returned to the Tenant with
the unused security deposit in accordance with Subsection B.2. below. If the account bears
interest, the Landlord is required to pay such interest in full, minus an optional 5 percent deduction for
administrative costs from such interest, to the Tenant unless it is used to cover any claims for damage. For
interest bearing accounts, the Landlord must provide a receipt of the account and any interest earned at the
Tenant’s request, no more than once per year. The Rental Agreement must reflect the name and address of the
financial institution at which the Security Deposit is deposited and whether the Security Deposit is held in
an interest-bearing account.
2. A Landlord shall provide a written accounting and refund in accordance with ORS
90.300.
C. Amounts Withheld for Repair
1. A Landlord may only apply Security Deposit funds for the repair and replacement of those fixtures,
appliances, equipment or personal property that are identified in the Rental Agreement.
2. A Landlord may claim from the Security Deposit amounts equal only to the costs reasonably necessary
to repair the premises to its condition existing at the commencement of the Rental Agreement (“Commencement
Date”); provided however, that a Landlord may not claim any portion of the Security Deposit for routine
maintenance; for ordinary wear and tear; for replacement of fixtures, appliances, equipment, or personal
property that failed or sustained damage due to causes other than the Tenant’s acts or omissions; or for any
cost that is reimbursed by a Landlord’s property or comprehensive general liability insurance or by a
warranty.
3. Any Landlord-provided fixtures, appliances, equipment, or personal property, the condition of which
a Landlord plans to be covered by the Tenant Security Deposit, shall be itemized by description and
incorporated into the Rental Agreement.
4. A Landlord may apply the Tenant Security Deposit to the cost of repair or replacement of flooring
material only if repair or replacement is necessitated by use in excess of ordinary wear and tear and is
limited to the costs of repair or replacement of the discrete impacted area and not for the other areas of
the Dwelling Unit. A “discrete impacted area” is defined as the general area of the dwelling unit where the
repair or replacement is needed, which may include an entire room, closet, hallway, stairway, or other
defined space, but not beyond.
5. A Landlord may not apply the Tenant Security Deposit to the costs of interior painting of the leased
premises, except to repair specific damage caused by the Tenant in excess of ordinary wear and tear, or to
repaint walls that were painted by the Tenant without permission.
D. Condition Reports
1. Preparing and Updating the Condition Report and Condition Report Addendum
a. Prior to the Commencement Date, the Landlord will make reasonable efforts to schedule a time
which is convenient for both the Landlord and the Tenant for a walk through of the unit to complete a report
noting the condition of all fixtures, appliances, equipment and personal property listed in the rental
agreement and noting damage (the “Condition Report”). Both the Tenant and the Landlord shall sign the
Condition Report. The Landlord shall take pictures of the items noted in the Condition Report and share
those photographs with the Tenant.
b. Should the Landlord and Tenant be unable to schedule a mutually convenient time to walk
through the unit to complete the Condition Report, the Landlord will complete the Condition Report prior the
Commencement Date. The Landlord shall take pictures of the items noted in the Condition Report and share
those photographs with the Tenant on the Commencement Date.
c. Within 7 days following the Commencement Date, the Tenant may complete and submit to the
Landlord a Condition Report Addendum on a form provided by the Landlord. If the Tenant does not complete and
submit a Condition Report Addendum to the Landlord within 7 days of the Commencement Date then the
Landlord’s Condition Report becomes final.
d. If the Tenant submits a Condition Report Addendum, the Landlord has 7 days to dispute the
Condition Report Addendum in writing. If the Landlord fails to timely dispute the Condition Report Addendum,
then the Condition Report, as modified by the Condition Report Addendum, shall establish the baseline
condition of the Dwelling Unit as of the Commencement Date against which the Landlord will be required to
assess any Dwelling Unit repair or replacement needs identified in a Final Inspection (defined below) that
will result in costs that may be deducted from the Tenant Security Deposit as of termination of the Rental
Agreement (the “Termination Date”).
e. If the Landlord disputes the Condition Report Addendum, and the Landlord and Tenant are unable
to resolve the dispute as to the condition of the Dwelling Unit at the Commencement Date, the Condition
Report and Condition Report Addendum shall be retained by the Landlord. Any unresolved dispute as to the
condition of the Dwelling Unit as of the Commencement Date shall be resolved, if necessary, in any court of
competent jurisdiction.
f. The Landlord shall update the Condition Report to reflect all repairs and replacements
impacting the Dwelling Unit during the term of the Rental Agreement and shall provide the updated Condition
Report to the Tenant, and the Tenant may complete or update the Condition Report Addendum to reflect all
repairs and replacements.
2. Within 1 week following the Termination Date a Landlord shall conduct a walk-through of the Dwelling
Unit at the Tenant’s option, with the Tenant or Tenant’s representative, to document any damage beyond
ordinary wear and tear not noted on the Condition Report (the “Final Inspection”). The Tenant, or the
Tenant’s representative, may choose to be present for the Final Inspection. The Landlord must give notice of
the date and time of the Final Inspection at least 24 hours in advance to the Tenant.
3. A Landlord shall prepare an itemization describing any repair and replacement in accordance with the
fixture, appliances, equipment, or personal property identified in the Rental Agreement. The Landlord shall
document any visual damage in excess of normal wear and tear with photographs that the Landlord shall
provide to the Tenant with a written accounting in accordance with ORS 90.300 (12). To the extent that a
Landlord seeks to charge labor costs greater than $200 to a Tenant, the Landlord must provide documentation
demonstrating that the labor costs are reasonable and consistent with the typical hourly rates in the
metropolitan region. A Landlord may not charge for the repair of any damage or replacement of malfunctioning
or damaged appliances, fixtures, equipment, or personal property noted on the Condition Report.
E. Notice of Rights. Contemporaneously with the delivery of the written accounting required by ORS 90.300
(12), a Landlord must also deliver to the Tenant a written notice of rights regarding Security Deposits
(“Notice of Rights”). Such Notice of Rights must specify all Tenant’s right to damages under this Section.
The requirement in this Subsection may be met by delivering a copy of this Section to the Tenant and contact
information for the nearest Legal Aid Services of Oregon, or online and physical address of the Oregon State
Bar.
F. Rent Payment History. Within 5 business days of receiving a request from a Tenant or delivering a notice
of intent to terminate a tenancy, a Landlord must provide a written accounting to the Tenant of the Tenant’s
Rent payment history that covers up to the prior 2 years of tenancy, as well as a fully completed Rental
History Form available on the Portland Housing Bureau website. The Landlord shall also provide the Tenant
with an accounting of the Security Deposit as soon as practicable but no later than within the timeframes
prescribed by ORS 90.300.
G. Damages. A Landlord that fails to comply with any of the requirements set forth in this Section shall be
liable to the Tenant for an amount up to $250 per violation plus actual damages, reasonable attorney fees
and costs (collectively, “Damages”). Any Tenant aggrieved by a Landlord’s noncompliance with the foregoing
has a cause of action in any court of competent jurisdiction for Damages and such other remedies as may be
appropriate.
H. Delegation of Authority. In carrying out the provisions of this Section 30.01.087, the Director of PHB, or
a designee, is authorized to adopt, amend, and repeal administrative rules to carry out and administer the
provisions of this Section 30.01.087.
Oregon State Bar Center 16037 SW Upper Boones Ferry Rd. Tigard, OR 97224 Phone: 503-620-0222 Toll Free:
800-452-8260 Fax: 503-684-1366
Legal Aid Services of Oregon 520 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 700 Portland, OR 97204 Phone: 503-224-4086 Toll
Free: 800-228-6958 Fax: 503-295-9496