Free Oregon Room Rental Agreement Template

An Oregon room rental agreement is the written contract for renting a single bedroom in a shared home. Deposits are governed by section 90.300 of the Oregon Revised Statutes, part of the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.

Oregon closes off a common way of dressing money up as something other than a deposit, which matters in informal arrangements where the labels tend to be loose.

The statute says so directly. As used in the deposit section, security deposit includes any last month’s rent deposit.

The definitions back it up. A last month’s rent deposit means a type of security deposit, however designated, the primary function of which is to secure the payment of rent for the last month of the tenancy.

The phrase however designated is the operative one. Asking a housemate for first month’s rent, last month’s rent, and a deposit does not produce two categories of money with two sets of rules. The last month’s rent portion is a deposit and travels with the deposit obligations.

Two of those obligations attach immediately. The landlord must give the tenant a receipt for any security deposit the tenant pays, and the landlord holds the deposit for the tenant who is a party to the rental agreement.

Ending an Oregon room rental agreement runs on a clock that is slightly longer than the usual month.

Thirty-One Days

The landlord must account for and return the deposit not later than 31 days after the tenancy terminates and the tenant delivers possession. Where the landlord claims all or part of a deposit, the landlord gives the tenant a written accounting stating specifically the basis or bases of the claim.

How It Must Be Delivered

The written accounting or the returned deposit goes by personal delivery or by first class mail, or electronically where that is allowed. If the tenant asks in writing after the tenancy begins, the landlord may return the money electronically to a bank account or other financial institution the tenant designates.

The Money Beats the Landlord’s Creditors

A tenant’s claim to the security deposit or prepaid rent is prior to the claim of a creditor of the landlord, including a trustee in bankruptcy. That is a real protection if the person renting you the room runs into trouble.

Tip: Because the deadline runs from the later of termination and delivery of possession, handing back the key promptly is what starts it. Deadlines are statutory and change from time to time, so confirm the current text before relying on one.

For an Oregon room rental agreement, the clauses worth adding are:

• Every sum collected up front, labeled honestly as deposit or rent
• The receipt for the deposit, which the agreement is a convenient place to record
• Where the written accounting should be sent, or the account for an electronic return
• Which room is exclusive and which areas are shared
• Guest rules, quiet hours, and how the kitchen is shared