Renters Legal Rights in Ohio

In Ohio there are many laws to protect the right of tenants.Ohio has a fair housing law for tenants. Fair housing means you have a right to live wherever you want in Ohio without regard to your race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or because you are disabled or have children in your family.

Discrimination from housing based on the above reasons is against the law. If you think you have been discriminated against, contact Ohio’s fair housing office for the city you think you have been discriminated against in. You have the right to seek affordable housing, inspect an apartment or house offered for rent or sale, apply for or secure a home loan, and purchase homeowners or renters insurance. Your rights may have been violated if you have been prevented from doing any of these things.

Also connected with fair housing is Landlord- Tenant Laws. This law requires the landlord to assure the property complies with all building, housing, and health codes. They are also required to maintain electrical, plumbing, heating and ventilation systems. In Ohio we have very cold winters so heating that works safely and correctly is a absolute must.

If repairs are needed to a property, send a certified letter, return receipt requested, to the landlord outlining the requested repairs. Request the repairs be made in a reasonable time period usually 30 days. Keep a copy of the letter for your records. A landlord can require the following information, if it applies equally to everyone; a certain income, credit references, first and last months rent and a security deposit that is within certain limits.

As long as you, as the tenant, do what your rental agreement requires you to do, you have the right of exclusive possession of the property until the lease expires. You have a right of privacy, which the landlord must respect. The landlord may enter your apartment after reasonable notice of at least 24 hours for certain legitimate reasons.

Just because you are a tenant and not the owner does not mean the landlord can disrespect you or treat you wrong. If you paid a deposit when you moved in it is the law that the deposit be returned to you within 30 days. If the landlord keeps the deposit or deducts any of it because of damages caused by you then they must give you an itemized statement of cost of said damages.