Lease Agreement

The Oklahoma Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, in Title 41 of the Oklahoma Statutes, outlines the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants.^[1]

• 45 Days – Landlords must return the deposit to tenants within 45 days of the lease end date.
• Itemized List – Deductions must be itemized by the landlord and shared with the tenant.
• Maximum – No statutory maximum limit for security deposits in Oklahoma.^[2]

Both landlords and tenants can terminate a lease under the following conditions:

• Landlord’s Ability to Terminate
  • 5-day notice for nonpayment of rent.
  • 10-day notice to correct lease violations.
• Tenant’s Ability to Terminate
  • Tenants may terminate for reasons such as habitability issues after proper notice to the landlord.
  • 30-day notice required for month-to-month leases.^[3]

Landlords must provide 24-hours’ notice before entering a rental property unless it’s an emergency.^[4]

• Grace Period – No statutory grace period in Oklahoma.
• Late Fees – Reasonable late fees allowed as per the lease agreement.
• Withholding Rent – If the landlord breaches the rental agreement in a way that affects the tenant’s health, and the issue costs less than one month’s rent to fix, the tenant can make the repairs and deduct the cost from the rent if the landlord doesn’t act within 14 days of being notified.^[5]
• Rent Due Dates – should be written in the lease agreement.

Evictions, also called “Forcible Entry and Detainer”, must follow a legal process, beginning with proper notice to the tenant and followed by court filings.^[6]

Landlords are required to maintain the property in a habitable condition and respond promptly to repair requests.

Oklahoma tenants have legal rights, including:

• Right to Privacy – Tenants are entitled to privacy in their rental unit.
• Right to Habitable Housing – The property must meet health and safety standards.

Oklahoma does not have rent control laws, allowing landlords to set rents according to the market.

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) prevents landlords from discriminating against tenants based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and/or familial status (having children under 18, including pregnancy).

Rental properties must meet basic habitability standards, including:

• Functional plumbing, heating, and electrical systems.
• Safe and sanitary living conditions.

In Oklahoma, landlords don’t have to cover utilities unless the lease says so. Both parties should agree on who pays for utilities, and it should be written in the lease. Landlords must make sure the basic utilities like water and heat are available for the property to be livable for tenants.

The following are required by the landlord to disclose to tenants:

1. Lead-Based Paint Disclosure & EPA Pamphlet – If the property was built before 1978, the landlord must inform the tenant about lead paint and provide an EPA pamphlet.
2. Flooding – This document informs tenants about a property’s flood risk.
3. Identity Disclosure – The landlord or property manager must disclose full mailing address where notices can be sent.
4. Methamphetamine Disclosure – This document informs tenants if a property has been used to make or use methamphetamine or if it may be contaminated with methamphetamine.