Beaverton, OR asked in Landlord - Tenant for Oregon

Q: My boyfriend and i have a lease agreement in both of our names. Can he request me being evict

We have lived in our apartment for 5 years and both our names have been on the lease. We have a 2 year old and decided together it was ok I was a stay at home mom. Now he wants to get me evicted bc I'm not making money and thinks he can bc I'm not not contributing. I'm scared bc I can't work because he wont let me when I have tried but is now trying to make me homeless. Can he get me evicted even though our names are on the lease?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Joanne Reisman
Joanne Reisman
Answered
  • Portland, OR
  • Licensed in Oregon

A: I don't do landlord tenant law so I can's answer the question about whether you can be evicted or not. (If your name is on the lease I think your relationship is with the landlord who is leasing the property, and your boy friend isn't the landlord - he is just also on the lease. But talk to a landlord tenant attorney about this.)

What you can do is get a court order making your boyfriend pay child support to you. You don't have to be separated to do this. All you have to be is the mother of a child struggling to support yourself and the child which it sounds like is what is going on.

However, this will lead to a battle for custody because your boyfriend will figure out if he is awarded custody then you have to pay him support. So it is risky to initiate this while you two are still living together. I would probably transition yourself to living somewhere else without your boyfriend and take the child with you. Maybe you can move in with your parents or a friend. The file for custody and child support.

I suspect that you want to stay with your boyfriend and you believe that things will get better and everyone will live happily ever after. But you need to recognize that what he is doing is psychological abuse. I wouldn't be surprised if he is also physically abusive.

Here are some resources and hotlines you can call to get help:

https://calltosafety.org/

https://multco.us/dv/resources-0

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/60676

Again, what you are describing, the controlling behavior, not letting you work, then being emotionally abusive, all tells me that you and your child are victims of domestic violence. It will probably just get worse if you stay. It is time to get out. As much as you think you love him and you need him, you need to put your own safety and mental health first as well as the safety and mental health of your child.

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