When moving into a new apartment, one should keep several things in mind about renters’ rights, and the City of Eugene wants to keep its residents safe.
The city’s rental housing code gives landlords a list of minimum criteria to protect not only a renter’s health, property and “public wellbeing,” but also that of the owners and other people who enter the property.
Eugene’s rental housing code protects six areas: structural integrity, plumbing, heating, weatherproofing, security and smoke detectors.
A renter has the right to make sure the roof, floors and foundations are structurally sound according to the building code that was in effect at the time of the property’s construction.
Naturally, a plumbing system must be maintained for safety and sanitary reasons. According to the Eugene Rental Housing Code, if there is a significant amount of visible mold, there may be an issue with plumbing; however, the presence of mold is not a violation in itself. Also, repairs made by landlords to plumbing systems must be permanent, not temporary, and if there is mold as a result of faulty plumbing, landlords must also remove all of it, including mold that is forming in walls, insulation, floors, carpets and carpet backing.
Renters are also protected when it comes to heating. According to the code, landlords are required to make sure all properties have a “permanently installed heat source that must be able to provide a room temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit three feet above the floor … in all habitable rooms.”
The code also requires landlords to make sure that all exterior elements of a property — the roof, exterior walls, windows and doors — are maintained to keep water from leaking into the property. Not weatherproofing a property could damage its structure or even harm the property’s tenants. Like plumbing, all weatherproofing repairs must be permanent, and if mold is present, all mold must be removed.
A renter also reserves the right to live in a place where doors and windows can and will continue to lock.
Finally, a renter reserves the right for the property he or she is renting to have a functioning smoke alarm or detector.
If you move into a place where you discover that your rights as a renter are being violated, and the owner of the property is not taking care of an issue you previously brought up, you can file a complaint to the city of Eugene, and be sure to include your name (anonymous complaints cannot be accepted), the name of the property owner, the property address, a complete description of the alleged violation and a copy of the written notice of the alleged violation that you have sent to the owner.
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