The Oklahoma rental agreements are contracts written between a landlord or property owner and a tenant for the use of real property. The tenant makes regular payments (“rent”) in exchange for the use of the property. The agreements set terms for the rental, but they are subject to Oklahoma landlord-tenant law.
Oklahoma Rental Agreement Types
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Oklahoma Required Lease Disclosures
- Landlord’s Name & Address (required for all) – Oklahoma landlords must provide a landlord or property agent’s contact information in the lease agreement so that legal notices can be served.
- Flooding Disclosure (required for some) – For any Oklahoma rental unit that has experienced flooding in the past 5 years, the landlord must include a notice informing potential tenants about this fact to avoid liability for flooding damages that occur to personal property.
- Methamphetamine Contamination Disclosure (required for some) – Oklahoma rental units that measure methamphetamine contamination levels above 0.1 micrograms per 100 square centimeters may not be rented, and any contamination that is known must be disclosed in the lease to protect tenants from contamination and landlords from liability for any methamphetamine contamination-related health concerns.
- Lead Based Paint Disclosure (required for some) – To limit landlord liability, every Oklahoma lease agreement is required to include a lead based paint disclosure alongside an informational pamphlet from the EPA and notice of any existing hazards on the property.
To learn more about required disclosures in Oklahoma, click here.
Oklahoma Landlord Tenant Laws
- Warranty of Habitability – In Oklahoma, all landlords must meet legal habitability standards by maintaining adequate plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, electrical outlets, and more in all of their units. This includes providing repairs for the same within a “reasonable” timeframe. After 14 days of not meeting these duties, a tenant may provide their own repairs and deduct the cost from rent.
- Evictions – An Oklahoma tenant may be evicted for violating a lease term (15-day notice), failing to pay rent (5-day notice), or committing a crime (landlord’s discretion). As a result, an eviction in this state could be immediate or last more than several weeks.
- Security Deposits – Oklahoma landlords are free to set their security deposit rates as high as they see fit. However, they are not free to hold onto those deposits for more than 45 days after a tenant moves out.
- Lease Termination – So long as 1 month of notice is provided in advance, a month-to-month lease in Oklahoma can be broken off. This is also true of fixed-term leases, which can be broken off via any of the following justifications: active military duty, landlord harassment, or unit uninhabitability.
- Rent Increases & Fees – Oklahoma’s current laws provide full freedom to landlords when it comes to setting and raising rent. As such, these landlords are not required to provide any notice or justification for an impending increase. This freedom also extends to charging fees, all of which are permitted if they are not exceedingly punitive in value.
- Landlord Entry – Oklahoma landlords must always provide 1 day of advance notice before entering an occupied unit. The entry itself must occur at a “reasonable” time, also. Neither of these standards apply in an emergency situation that threatens a tenant’s well-being, though.
- Settling Legal Disputes – Landlords and tenants in Oklahoma may seek judicial mediation for their disputes in the state’s small claims courts. This venue accepts all cases (including evictions) valued at up to $7,500, so long as they fall within the statute of limitations (5 years for written contracts, 3 years for oral contracts).
To learn more about landlord tenant laws in Oklahoma, click here.
