Landlord says I abandoned my apartment after a 10-day trip, can they legally remove my belongings?
Location: Oregon
I rent an apartment in Oregon on a standard one-year lease. Last week I returned from a 10-day work trip and found a note taped to my door from my landlord stating that they believed I had abandoned the unit. The note said they would be entering to secure the property and remove items left behind if they didn’t hear from me within 48 hours.
I had emailed the landlord before leaving to let them know I’d be out of town, but they claim they never received it. I was fully paid up on rent and have never been late.
When I got back, nothing was missing from the apartment, but the note makes me nervous that they still plan to take action, and I’m worried this might be a way to push me out early because the building is being renovated at the end of the year.
My questions:
Is a landlord in Oregon allowed to declare a unit abandoned just because a tenant is gone for several days? And what are the legal requirements for a landlord before they can enter or remove a tenant’s belongings for alleged abandonment?
I'm not asking for help preparing a case or anything like that, just trying to understand what the law does or does not allow in this situation so I know whether I need to take further steps to protect my tenancy.
Posted Nov 14, 2025, 1:57 PM UTC · locked