(1) A tenant who occupies or an applicant who will occupy a dwelling unit and who conducts repairs, routine maintenance or cleaning services on that dwelling unit in exchange for a reduction in rent pursuant to a written or oral agreement with the landlord is not an employee of the landlord.

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Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 90.145

  • Conduct: means the commission of an act or the failure to act. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
  • Dwelling unit: means a structure or the part of a structure that is used as a home, residence or sleeping place by one person who maintains a household or by two or more persons who maintain a common household. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
  • Landlord: includes a person who is authorized by the owner, lessor or sublessor to manage the premises or to enter into a rental agreement. See Oregon Statutes 90.100
  • Rent: means any payment to be made to the landlord under the rental agreement, periodic or otherwise, in exchange for the right of a tenant and any permitted pet to occupy a dwelling unit to the exclusion of others and to use the premises. See Oregon Statutes 90.100

(2) A tenant or an applicant described in subsection (1) of this section may not conduct electrical or plumbing installation, maintenance or repair unless properly licensed under ORS § 479.510 to 479.945 or ORS Chapter 693. The tenant or applicant is not required to obtain a plumbing contractor license under ORS § 447.040 to perform work under this section.

(3) Nothing in this section diminishes the obligations of a landlord to maintain the dwelling unit in a habitable condition under ORS § 90.320 or 90.730.

(4) Any electrical or plumbing installation, maintenance or repair work performed by a tenant or an applicant under this section must comply with ORS § 447.010 to 447.156 and 479.510 to 479.945. [1995 c.773 § 2; 1999 c.676 § 9; 2005 c.758 § 6]