ORS § 90 § 90.435
Limitation on recovery of possession of premises.
Operative Text
A landlord may not recover or take possession of the dwelling unit by action or otherwise, including willful diminution of services to the tenant by interrupting or causing the interruption of heat, running water, hot water, electricity or other essential service to the tenant, except in case of abandonment or relinquishment, or as permitted in this chapter in the manner provided in ORS 105.100 to 105.168.
Oregon Revised Statutes § 90.435 restricts the ways a landlord can regain possession of a rental dwelling. Outside of abandonment, relinquishment, or the formal legal procedures outlined in ORS 105.100 to 105.168, a landlord cannot reclaim a unit through any means — including deliberately cutting off essential services such as heat, running water, hot water, or electricity. The provision treats intentional service interruptions as an unlawful method of forcing a tenant out, placing them in the same prohibited category as other self-help eviction tactics.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under ORS § 90.435, compliant property operators rely exclusively on the formal legal processes set out in ORS 105.100 to 105.168 when seeking to recover possession of a dwelling unit. Operators generally ensure that essential services — heat, running water, hot water, and electricity — remain uninterrupted throughout any tenancy, including during a dispute or pending eviction proceeding. Deliberately cutting or reducing these services as a means of pressuring a tenant to vacate falls squarely within the conduct this provision prohibits.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
ORS § 90.435 gives tenants a clear protection against self-help eviction tactics, including landlord-caused interruptions to heat, running water, hot water, or electricity intended to force them out. If a landlord takes possession or diminishes essential services outside the narrow exceptions the provision allows, that conduct may be raised as a defense in court proceedings or as the basis for a complaint with a local housing authority or Oregon's courts. Tenants who believe this provision has been violated may wish to document the service interruption, contact a local tenant-rights organization, or consult with a legal aid provider familiar with Oregon landlord-tenant law.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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