Ohio Tenant Rights
Quick Guide to Ohio Tenant Rights
Ohio Tenant Rights
There are multiple tenant rights outlined by Ohio law, and links to valuable resources for finding a particular Ohio tenant right are located on the following website under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:
If you don’t believe your landlord is respecting your Ohio tenant rights, there are a number of actions you can take to protect your rights. Some of these steps are provided in this article.
Ohio Tenant Right against Discrimination
Under Ohio residential laws, no person can be denied their renting privileges by a landlord, managing agent, real estate broker, or salesperson according to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, familial status, source of income (in most cases), or disability.
However, if the property is occupied by the owner and they are renting out a room, they may indicate a preference for gender under according to Ohio law.
The Escrow Process
One of the best ways to protect your Ohio tenant rights is to undergo the Escrow process if your landlord knows about damages to the property that are their obligation and has not taken action to fix them. In order to protect your Ohio tenant right for acceptable means of living, you can deposit your check with the county clerk so the landlord can take no legal action against you and fix the property before receiving the rent.
If your landlord has failed to fill any of their obligations under Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.04, any obligation under the rental agreement, or a government agency has declared the living conditions unsafe, you can begin the escrow process. There are number of steps you should if your Ohio tenant rights have been violated before filing escrow. The steps are provided below:
1. Notify your landlord that an Ohio tenant right is being denied because of repair problems. You must provide the repairs that are needed in clear handwriting, you must date the letter, and you must give your landlord 30 days to fix the repair unless the repair is needed for heat in the winter or running water.
2. If your landlord has still denied your Ohio tenant rights and has not yet made repairs within thirty days, you can begin escrowing rent. If the damages are significant, you may also be able to terminate the lease, reduce the rent before damages are repaired, or turn over escrowed money so the landlord can make repairs.
Security Deposit and your Ohio Tenant Right
You have an Ohio tenant right to receive your security deposit after deductions have been made for reasonable wear and tear expenses. However, a tenant has no Ohio tenant rights to receive their security deposit in the following circumstances:
• Failed to pay rent
• Violated the lease
• Damaged the property extensively
• Caused a nuisance to other tenants
• Committed domestic violence or sexual assault
• Engaged in drug dealing or made illegal drugs on the property
• Engaged in conduct involving weapons or ammunition
For more information on Ohio tenant rights, visit the website listed at the beginning of this article.
