Portland, OR asked in Landlord - Tenant for Oregon

Q: Had inspection then received a notice we have to pay for repairs normally associated with moving out due Aug 18 in full

A bill almost equal to the rent for blinds painting door replacement ECT. Making our lives so stressed

They want to come in and inspect again and the 15th I believe and it states that we might incur more fees what can I do I can't afford 500 for a door even 500 hundred dollars by that time I can't do and that's just one item what can I do is this just harassing or seeing if we scare

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
Gregory L Abbott
Gregory L Abbott
Answered
  • Landlord Tenant Lawyer
  • Portland, OR
  • Licensed in Oregon

A: The issue is not the timing - it is whether you are responsible for damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. If so, you likely owe the cost of replacement/repair. A landlord does not need to wait until you move out to do repairs. Indeed, many prefer to constantly keep their dwelling unit fully updated rather than allow it to slowly decay until a tenant elects to move out - which could be a decade or more from now. If you are responsible, then a landlord can immediately deduct the repair costs from any existing security deposit and require the tenant to restore the deposit to its full amount or they can simply bill the tenant now for the repairs. If the tenant fails to restore the security deposit or to timely pay for the repairs, the landlord simply issues a 30 day for cause termination notice, giving the tenant 14 days to pay or 30 days to get out. If they do neither, then the landlord simply files to evict in court. Your ability to pay, while obviously of critical importance to you, has nothing to do with your liability and obligation to pay. If you can't do that, and the landlord is unwilling to work out a payment plan with you, your landlord is not unreasonable for wanting to get you out and someone new in, who can pay the costs of their housing.

Katherine Goodman agrees with this answer

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.