Notice to Terminate Tenancy Without Cause / Qualifying Landlord Reason (Oregon)

NOTICE TO TERMINATE TENANCY — OREGON (No-Cause / Qualifying Landlord Reason)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Caption / Notice Heading
2. Identification of Premises and Parties
3. Length of Tenancy / Statutory Path
4. No-Cause Termination Within First 12 Months (ORS § 90.427(3))
5. Qualifying Landlord Reason (After First 12 Months) — ORS § 90.427(5)
6. Termination Date
7. Relocation Assistance — State (ORS § 90.427(7))
8. Portland Renter Relocation Assistance (PCC § 30.01.085) — If Applicable
9. Tenant's Rights and Defenses
10. Service Method (ORS § 90.155)
11. Landlord Certification of Good Faith
12. Certificate / Proof of Service
13. Oregon Practice Notes
14. Sources and References

1. CAPTION / NOTICE HEADING

STATE OF OREGON

NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF TENANCY

Pursuant to ORS § 90.427

2. IDENTIFICATION OF PREMISES AND PARTIES

TO: [TENANT'S FULL LEGAL NAME], and all other occupants in possession of the premises described below.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Landlord terminates your tenancy as set forth below.

3. LENGTH OF TENANCY / STATUTORY PATH

Per ORS § 90.427(1)(b), "first year of occupancy" includes "all periods in which any of the tenants has resided in the dwelling unit for one year or less." If any current tenant has occupied for more than 12 months (whether or not on the original lease), the tenancy is post-first-year and a Qualifying Landlord Reason ("QLR") is required.

4. NO-CAUSE TERMINATION WITHIN FIRST 12 MONTHS (ORS § 90.427(3))

(Complete only if tenancy is within first 12 months and QLR is NOT required)

The Landlord terminates the tenancy without cause pursuant to ORS § 90.427(3). No reason is required because the tenant has occupied the premises for 12 months or fewer.

Limitation: Under SB 611 (2023), a landlord who has previously served a § 90.427(3) no-cause notice to the same tenant may not serve another within the same tenancy except for cause. Successive no-cause attempts may be deemed retaliatory.

5. QUALIFYING LANDLORD REASON (AFTER FIRST 12 MONTHS) — ORS § 90.427(5)

(Complete only if tenancy exceeds 12 months)

The Landlord terminates the tenancy for the following Qualifying Landlord Reason (check ONE):

☐ (a) Demolition or Conversion — ORS § 90.427(5)(b)(A)

The Landlord intends within a reasonable time after the termination date to demolish the dwelling unit OR convert it to a use other than residential use.

☐ (b) Substantial Repair or Renovation — ORS § 90.427(5)(b)(B)

The Landlord intends to undertake repairs or renovations such that the premises is currently unsafe or unfit for occupancy or will be unsafe or unfit during the work.

☐ (c) Owner or Immediate-Family-Member Occupancy — ORS § 90.427(5)(b)(C)

The Landlord OR a member of the Landlord's immediate family intends to occupy the dwelling unit as a primary residence, AND no comparable unit owned by the Landlord at the same location is available for occupancy by the family member.

☐ (d) Sale to Owner-Occupant Buyer — ORS § 90.427(5)(b)(D)

The Landlord has accepted an offer to purchase the dwelling unit from a buyer who intends in good faith to occupy the unit as a primary residence. The dwelling unit is sold separately from any other dwelling unit.

6. TERMINATION DATE

If service was by first-class mail under ORS § 90.155, three (3) days are added to the notice period.

7. RELOCATION ASSISTANCE — STATE (ORS § 90.427(7))

(For QLR terminations only)

The Landlord [☐ IS / ☐ IS NOT] required to pay state relocation assistance.

If the Landlord is exempt (four or fewer units), the Landlord MUST disclose the exemption in this Notice. The exemption applies only to STATE relocation assistance; Portland and other municipalities may impose additional requirements (Section 8 below).

8. PORTLAND RENTER RELOCATION ASSISTANCE (PCC § 30.01.085) — IF APPLICABLE

(Complete only if premises are within Portland city limits)

Portland City Code § 30.01.085 imposes mandatory relocation assistance for:

• No-cause terminations (any duration of tenancy);
• Qualifying-Landlord-Reason terminations;
• Rent increases of 10% or more within any rolling 12-month period (treated as a constructive no-cause); and
• Lease changes that constitute a constructive eviction.

Portland exemptions are narrower than state exemptions — the most common exemption is the "single-unit landlord" who owns and personally rents one (1) total dwelling unit (not four). Other exemptions: owner-occupied duplex, fixed-term temporary rentals to an out-of-area employee, etc.

Notice to Portland Housing Bureau: Landlords are required to file notice of the termination and relocation payment with PHB. See https://www.portland.gov/phb/rental-services/relocation-assistance.

9. TENANT'S RIGHTS AND DEFENSES

You have the right to:

1. Challenge the QLR as pretextual. ORS § 90.427(8) entitles a tenant to recover three (3) months' rent plus actual damages and reasonable attorney fees if the landlord's stated reason is not actually pursued in good faith (e.g., landlord re-rents to a third party within a reasonable time after a "family occupancy" or "sale" QLR).
2. Demand supporting documentation within 120 days of acceptance for sale-based QLR (§ 90.427(5)(c)(F)).
3. Raise retaliation defense (ORS § 90.385) — six-month and one-year windows.
4. Raise discrimination defense under Oregon Fair Housing (ORS § 659A.421), including source-of-income protection, and federal Fair Housing Act.
5. Domestic violence protection under ORS § 90.453.
6. Receive Portland relocation assistance in full at the time the Notice is delivered (not after vacancy).
7. Preserve a habitability counterclaim (ORS § 90.320) — habitability claims survive termination notice.
8. Refuse to vacate without an FED judgment — self-help eviction is barred by ORS § 90.375.

Resources:

• Oregon Law Center: (503) 295-2760
• Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT): (503) 288-0130
• Portland Housing Bureau Renter Services: https://www.portland.gov/phb/rental-services
• 211info: dial 2-1-1
• Oregon State Bar Lawyer Referral: (503) 684-3763

10. SERVICE METHOD (ORS § 90.155)

This Notice was served by:

☐ Personal delivery to Tenant on [__/__/____]

☐ First-class mail with attachment to main entrance on [__/__/____] — three (3) days added

☐ First-class mail only on [__/__/____] — three (3) days added

☐ Email plus first-class mail pursuant to signed written agreement on [__/__/____]

11. LANDLORD CERTIFICATION OF GOOD FAITH

I, the undersigned Landlord (or duly authorized agent), certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Oregon that:

1. The Qualifying Landlord Reason stated above is given in good faith and is the actual reason for terminating this tenancy;
2. I (or the buyer, where applicable) intend to pursue the stated QLR within a reasonable time after the termination date;
3. This Notice is not given for a retaliatory purpose prohibited by ORS § 90.385 or for any unlawful discriminatory purpose prohibited by ORS § 659A.421 or 42 U.S.C. § 3604;
4. I understand that a bad-faith or pretextual QLR exposes me to liability under ORS § 90.427(8) for three months' rent plus actual damages and attorney fees;
5. The relocation-assistance amount required by ORS § 90.427(7) (and, if applicable, Portland City Code § 30.01.085) has been delivered concurrently with this Notice; AND
6. All supporting documentation is attached or will be provided as required by statute.

Dated this [____] day of [__________], 20[__], at [CITY], Oregon.

12. CERTIFICATE / PROOF OF SERVICE

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Oregon that on [__/__/____] I served the foregoing Notice of Termination, together with all attached supporting documentation and the relocation-assistance payment (where required), upon the Tenant(s) by the method indicated in Section 10.

13. OREGON PRACTICE NOTES

A. Statutory Quick Reference

B. SB 608 (2019) — Historic Statewide Rent Control + No-Cause Restriction

Oregon was the first state in the United States to enact statewide rent control. SB 608 simultaneously:

• Capped annual rent increases at 7% + CPI on units 15+ years old (ORS § 90.323);
• Eliminated true "no-cause" termination after the first 12 months;
• Required QLR + 90-day notice + 1 month relocation assistance for 5+ unit landlords.

C. SB 611 (2023) — Tightened QLR Regime

SB 611 reduced the maximum rent increase cap to the lesser of 10% or 7% + CPI (was previously uncapped at 7% + CPI), and clarified QLR scope: owner occupancy must be a primary residence; sale must be a single-unit sale to a true owner-occupant; demolition/repair must be substantial and require vacancy.

D. Bad-Faith Penalty (ORS § 90.427(8))

If the landlord (or a buyer in a sale-based QLR) does not actually pursue the stated reason — for example, re-rents the unit to a third party within one year of a family-occupancy QLR — the tenant may sue for three months' rent plus actual damages, plus attorney fees. This is the most aggressive false-pretext remedy in U.S. landlord-tenant law.

E. Portland Relocation Assistance — Wider Than State

Portland Code § 30.01.085 covers all Portland landlords (very narrow exemptions) and applies to no-cause AND rent-increase-induced moves. Rent increase of 10%+ in 12 months triggers PCC obligations even if technically below the state ORS § 90.323 cap.

F. 2024 / 2025 / 2026 Rent Cap

Oregon's Department of Administrative Services publishes the maximum allowable rent increase each September. 2024: 10.0%. 2025: 10.0%. 2026: 9.5%. Increases above the published figure are void and provide a tenant defense to FED.

G. Manufactured Dwelling / Floating Home Park Spaces

ORS § 90.630 (manufactured dwelling) and § 90.675 (floating home moorage) impose separate cause-based termination regimes. Do NOT use this template for park spaces.

H. Subsidized Housing

Section 8 (HCV) tenants, RAD tenants, LIHTC tenants, and public-housing residents are subject to additional federal good-cause requirements — § 90.427 layered on top is more restrictive.

I. 30-Day Mediation Stay

Under ORS § 105.137 the FED court may stay an action for up to 30 days for mediation. Some county-specific Oregon Eviction Defense / mediation programs (e.g., Multnomah County Court Annexed Mediation) are available.

14. SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• ORS § 90.427 (no-cause termination / QLR): https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_90.427
• ORS § 90.323 (rent cap): https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_90.323
• ORS § 90.155 (service): https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_90.155
• ORS § 90.385 (retaliation): https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_90.385
• ORS § 90.453 (domestic violence): https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_90.453
• ORS § 659A.421 (Oregon Fair Housing): https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_659a.421
• ORS Chapter 90: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors090.html
• SB 608 (2019): https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/SB608
• SB 611 (2023): https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/SB611
• HB 2001 (2023): https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2001
• Oregon Real Estate Agency — 2025 Rent Cap (10%): https://www.oregon.gov/rea/newsroom/pages/2024-oren-j/annual-maximum-rent-increase-10-percent-2025.aspx
• Oregon DAS Office of Economic Analysis — Rent Stabilization: https://www.oregon.gov/das/oea/pages/rent-stabilization.aspx
• Portland Housing Bureau — Relocation Assistance: https://www.portland.gov/phb/rental-services/relocation-assistance
• Portland City Code § 30.01.085: https://www.portland.gov/code/30/01/085
• Eugene Renter Protections: https://www.eugene-or.gov/4885/Renter-Protections-Process
• Oregon Lawyer Online — QLR Guide: https://www.oregonlawyeronline.com/uncategorized/qualifying-landlord-reason-qlr-for-termination/
• Don't Evict PDX — Notice Reading Guide: https://www.dontevictpdx.org/readnotice
• Community Alliance of Tenants: https://oregoncat.org