Senate Bill 91 and You!

A proposal for new legislation drafted by the Oregon Landlord-Tenant Coalition hosts a suite of issues that affect the management of rental properties.  Among the many items in the proposed Amendment to Bill 91 is renters insurance, tenant screening requirements, and fees for tenancy violations.  Below is a summary of the key points of this Amendment that was signed by the Senate President on May 23rd and the House Speaker on the 24th:

•  Renter’s Insurance:  The amendment specifies that with properly written notice landlords may require tenants to obtain renters insurance.  Of particular interest to investment property owners is the prospect of tenants obtaining liability insurance that covers injuries that occur upon the property or accidental damage to the rental unit.  This bill would allow a landlord to make a claim against a tenant’s rental policy for damages or costs that exceed the tenant’s security deposit for items for which the tenant is legally liable for.
•  Applicant Screening Criteria:  In this proposal landlords will not be allowed to consider evictions that occurred more than five years earlier as part of their screening process.  They will also be restricted to only considering specific parts of a potential tenant’s criminal history.  Landlords will not be permitted to consider arrests that did not result in conviction unless the case is still open at the time the applicant is applying for the rental, AND if the offense involves, drugs, sex offenses, “person crimes” such as assault, financial fraud or identity theft, or offenses that would directly affect the property or neighbors’ quality of life.  Traffic offenses, including driving under the influence or reckless driving are among other citations that will not be permitted to be taken into consideration.

• Rental Violation Fees:  As written, the amendment would allow landlords to charge tenants a fee for repeated violations of documented rules after an initial written warning has been issued.Repeat offenders who disregard written rules could be assessed a fee up to $50 for a second offense or $50 plus 5% of the monthly rent for subsequent offenses.

CPM Real Estate Services makes it a priority to keep abreast of Landlord Tenant Law updates and amendments.  As the only AMO (Accredited Management Organization) certified office south of Eugene, Oregon and north of Sacramento, California, we are required to maintain specific educational standards to ensure complete adherence to real estate laws and practices.  CPM has maintained this
accreditation for more than 25 years and we pledge to continue upholding the strict standards as required by the Real Estate Agency to fulfill our mission to provide our clients with the most professional real estate services possible.