If you’re thinking of renting a home in Oklahoma, knowing your rights as a tenant or as a landlord can save you time, money, and stress down the road. Take a look at our Oklahoma Landlord Tenant Rights cheat-sheet before you rent.
Landlord Responsibilities
Under Oklahoma law, landlords have certain responsibilities to their tenants. These include addressing, providing, or maintaining the following:
- Dwelling structures
- Electricity
- Plumbing and sanitation
- HVAC
- Ventilation
- Garbage and waste (multi-family units only)
- Water (multi-family units only)
- Pest control
Tenants have the option to make repairs to the above and deduct that amount from any rent due. Landlords are prohibited from engaging in retaliatory conduct.
Tenant Responsibilities
Likewise, tenants have responsibilities to their landlords. These include the duty to:
- Pay the rent on time
- Keep the premises clean, safe and sanitary
- Maintain fixtures in working order
- Follow cleanliness standards
- Give notice to landlords of any damage on the property
- Do not disturb other tenants or neighbors
Security Deposit
Oklahoma law does not set a maximum amount for security deposits; the landlord may charge whatever they wish. They have 45 days to return the deposit, minus any deductions for damages or unpaid rent.
Rent and Fees
Landlords are free to charge what they’d like for rent and can increase the rent without notice. They are prohibited from charging excessive punitive late fees.
Evictions
Landlords can evict tenants on the following grounds:
- Nonpayment of rent
- Violation of lease terms
- No lease or end of lease
- Illegal acts
Tenants can legally end their leases early because of:
- Early termination clause in the lease
- Active military duty
- Uninhabitable property
- Landlord harassment
Tenants may be held responsible for the duration of the lease if the landlord fails to re-rent the premises.
Lease Termination Notice
If the termination is for nonpayment of rent, the landlord should issue a 5-day notice for tenancies less than 3 months or a 10-day notice for tenancies that lasted more than 3 months. If tenants still do not pay, the landlord can move forward with eviction proceedings.
If the termination is for violation of lease terms, the landlord should issue a 15-day notice giving the tenants 10 days to fix the violation or 15 days to move out.
If the tenant stays in the unit past the end of the lease or there isn’t a lease in effect, the landlord should issue either a 7-day notice (month-to-month tenants), a 30-day notice (month-to-month) or a 90-day notice (year-to-year).
If landlords have proof of illegal activity, they can evict tenants without notice.
Tenants also have notice requirements. If their lease is week-to-week, they must give a 7-day notice of lease termination. Month-to-month tenants must give a 30-day notice. Tenants with annual leases are not required to give notice of termination.
Relevant State Agencies
Oklahoma Department of Housing and Urban Development