Illegal rental? (Portland: apartments, hotels, houses)

[Ardub]

Does anyone know if a back door is required for a rental house or apartment in Portland? Our dwelling has a back door, but the landlord has nailed it shut. Is that legal?

Thanks.

[Ms_Christina]

You will have to read through the Portland housing code. My guess is no.

[Ms_Christina]

29.30.100 Doors.
A. Every dwelling or dwelling unit shall have at least one door leading to an exterior yard or court, or
in the case of a two-family dwelling or apartment, to an exterior yard or court or to an approved
exit. All such doors shall be openable from the inside without the use of a key or any special
knowledge or effort. All screen doors and storm doors must be easily openable from the inside
without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.
B. In hotels and apartment houses, exit doors in common corridors or other common passageways shall
be openable from the inside with one hand in a single motion, such as pressing a bar or turning a
knob, without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort.
C. Every door to the exterior of a dwelling unit shall be equipped with a lock designed to discourage
unwanted entry and to permit opening from the inside without the use of a key or any special
knowledge or effort.
D. Every exterior door shall comply with the following:
1. Every exterior door, door hinge, door lock, and strike plate shall be maintained in good
condition.
2. Every exterior door, when closed, shall fit reasonably well within its frame and be weathertight.
3. Every doorframe shall be constructed and maintained in relation to the adjacent wall
construction so as to exclude rain as completely as possible, and to substantially exclude
wind from entering the dwelling.
E. Every interior door and doorframe shall be maintained in a sound condition for its intended purpose
with the door fitting within the doorframe.

[Minervah]

You might also want to contact the fire department to hear what they say about a safety hazard. I know there was an upstairs unit of a duplex a couple of blocks from me that had only one exit. The fire marshal informed the owners they would have to build a stairway to the back of the house and have some sort of door that would open on it for safety measures.

[Nell Plotts]

A window can be a legal exit.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

A window can be a legal exit.

Yes but a door nailed shut? I wonder why anyone would do that.

[Nell Plotts]

I would ask the property owner. Perhaps the owner has a concern about the porch or stairs beyond the door, they may need repair or the railing around the porch could be too open and they are afraid a child would fall through. The door itself may not latch well and the owner is concerned that it is not secure enough.

[hamellr]

Or maybe the door is now a "load bearing" wall.

[Billy_J]

You can see all sorts of apartments which do not have a back door. These would be apartments located on a 2nd floor or higher!