Do this today
- Keep the original. Photograph every page, including envelopes and posting.
- Write the date, time, and how it arrived.
- Look for a court name, case number, or appearance date — that is court papers.
- If a court is named, call legal aid the same day. Do not guess the deadline.
What were you handed?
| The paper | What it usually is | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord notice | A step before a court case. Not a judgment, and not a lockout. | Date it. Keep the original. Write down how it arrived. Check whether it offers a chance to fix the problem. |
| Court papers | A case has been filed. A court name, case number, or appearance date is running. | Call legal aid the same day. Do not ignore it. Bring the papers and a timeline of how you received them. |
| Lockout or shutoff | Locks changed, belongings moved, or utilities cut on an occupied unit. | Call 211 and legal aid today. In most states a landlord may not do this personally. Police non-emergency can document it. |
Is a notice the same as being evicted?
No. In Oregon, as in most states, a written landlord notice is a step, not a judgment. A court case, then an order carried out by a sheriff or similar officer, is generally what completes an eviction. Oregon Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is where Oregon sets what the notice must say and how long it runs. We do not print that number here.
What generally happens next?
The sequence is broadly similar: written notice, then a court filing if the landlord proceeds, then a tenant response, a hearing, a judgment, and — only after an order — a law-enforcement removal. Names differ. Timing differs. Oregon justice, magistrate, or housing court labels differ. Missing a response deadline commonly leads to a default. That is why court papers are same-day work.
What should I be careful not to do?
Do not ignore court papers. Do not assume a lockout is lawful because a notice looks official. Do not sign a move-out or cash-for-keys paper you have not read with an advocate. Rent withholding, in some states, is a lawful process and in others is grounds for eviction — ask legal aid in Oregon before you skip a payment.
What is an FED in Oregon?
Forcible entry and detainer — the circuit-court possession case. Multnomah County Circuit Court for Portland. A landlord notice is a step. FED papers are same-day legal aid. Rental Services is not the court.
Oregon CAT, oregonrentersrights.org, or 211info?
Community Alliance of Tenants is a tenants union. oregonrentersrights.org is a self-help handbook hub and a pointer to the Eviction Defense Project. 211info.org is regional 211. Oregon Law Help is legal aid. Four different doors. ORS Chapter 90 is the statute.
Where do Oregon sample renter letters actually live?
Community Alliance of Tenants publishes repair, move-out, and deposit samples on oregoncat.org/know-your-rights. oregonrentersrights.org publishes handbooks and letters. This classroom points at those files. It does not host a copy that will go stale.
Is the Fair Housing Council of Oregon the same as CAT?
No. The Fair Housing Council of Oregon takes discrimination. Community Alliance of Tenants is a tenants union. Oregon Law Help takes an FED. HUD is the federal floor. Three local doors plus the Act.
The Oregon chapter
Oregon Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 90.100 to 90.875) is the starting point. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
Oregon's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is Chapter 90 of the Oregon Revised Statutes. Oregon is unusual in that some rent and termination rules operate statewide rather than city by city — which makes reading the current statute text especially important, because the Legislature has amended this chapter repeatedly.
Portland has a Rental Services Office and additional local renter-protection requirements. Use the Portland desk on this site for the city offices. Other Oregon cities may have local screening or relocation rules. Community Alliance of Tenants and oregonrentersrights.org remain statewide education doors — they are not the court.
Official sources
- StatuteORS Chapter 90 — Residential Landlord and TenantOregon Legislative Assembly, the state's official statute publisher.
- Free legal helpOregon Law HelpStatewide legal-aid guides for Oregon renters, in several languages.
- Self-help hubOregon Renters RightsHandbooks, sample letters, and a pointer to the Eviction Defense Project. Not the statute.
- Tenants unionCommunity Alliance of Tenants — Know Your RightsOregon tenants-union education, organizing, and the renter hotline they publish.
- 211211infoRegional 211 for Oregon and southwest Washington — rent, shelter, food, utilities.
- Statute indexCornell LII landlord-tenant tableOr. Rev. Stat. §§ 90.100 to 90.875
- FederalHUD — Oregon
- Free legal helpLawHelp.org — Oregon
Common questions
Is an eviction notice in Oregon the same as being evicted?
No. A notice is a step a landlord takes before filing. In most places an eviction is completed only through a court case and an order carried out by an officer. Look first for a court name and a case number.
How long does an eviction notice last in Oregon?
That number is in Oregon Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and it depends on the reason for the notice and sometimes on the city and the housing type. This site does not reprint it. Open the chapter or call legal aid with the paper in your hand.
Can my landlord in Oregon change the locks?
In most states a landlord may not carry out a removal personally. If locks have changed, belongings moved, or utilities cut on an occupied unit, treat it as an emergency: legal aid, 211, and in an unsafe situation, 911.
Where is free eviction help in Oregon?
LawHelp.org routes Oregon renters to nonprofit legal aid. Dial 211 for local services. Court self-help desks exist in many courthouses. None of those are behind a sign-up on this site.
What is an FED in Oregon?
Forcible entry and detainer — the circuit-court possession case. Multnomah County Circuit Court for Portland. A landlord notice is a step. FED papers are same-day legal aid. Rental Services is not the court.
Oregon CAT, oregonrentersrights.org, or 211info?
Community Alliance of Tenants is a tenants union. oregonrentersrights.org is a self-help handbook hub and a pointer to the Eviction Defense Project. 211info.org is regional 211. Oregon Law Help is legal aid. Four different doors. ORS Chapter 90 is the statute.
Where do Oregon sample renter letters actually live?
Community Alliance of Tenants publishes repair, move-out, and deposit samples on oregoncat.org/know-your-rights. oregonrentersrights.org publishes handbooks and letters. This classroom points at those files. It does not host a copy that will go stale.
Is the Fair Housing Council of Oregon the same as CAT?
No. The Fair Housing Council of Oregon takes discrimination. Community Alliance of Tenants is a tenants union. Oregon Law Help takes an FED. HUD is the federal floor. Three local doors plus the Act.
The national eviction notice guide has the full sequence. Open the eviction notice guide
People also ask
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org