An Ohio rental agreement is a legal contract between a landlord overseeing a rental property and a tenant using the property. Delaware landlord-tenant law governs and regulates these agreements.
Ohio Rental Agreement Types
Ohio Required Lease Disclosures
- Landlord’s Name and Address (required for all leases) – Ohio landlords must give the tenant their name and address, or that of their authorized agent. This allows required communication (for example, about repairs) to happen in a smooth way. Typically includes extra contact information like phone numbers and email addresses.
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (required for some leases) – Landlords must provide an EPA-approved disclosure and informational pamphlet to tenants renting any property built before 1978.
To learn more about required disclosures in Ohio, click here.
Ohio Landlord Tenant Laws
- Warranty of Habitability – Ohio landlords can only rent out habitable property. This means providing certain basic health and safety features like heat, plumbing, and electricity. Landlords must repair any issues within within a reasonable time (up to 30 days) after proper notice. Failure to repair lets a tenant sue the landlord, withhold rent, or terminate the lease. Tenants usually can’t repair and deduct.
- Evictions – Ohio landlords may evict for rent default, lease violations, or illegal acts, among other things. Before filing eviction, landlords must serve tenants with prior notice to quit, which can vary depending on the eviction type. This means evictions in Ohio can take between a few days to a few months. Ohio properties covered by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act are federally entitled to a minimum 30 days of advance notice before a landlord can file eviction. This often can extend the eviction process.
- Security Deposits – Ohio does not limit the amount of a security deposit. When a lease ends, the landlord must return any unused portion of a tenant’s deposit within 30 days.
- Lease Termination – Ohio lets tenants end a month-to-month lease with 30 days of advance notice. Terminating a fixed-term lease usually requires active military duty, landlord harassment, uninhabitable property, or domestic abuse.
- Rent Increases and Fees – Ohio does not limit the amount or timing of a rent increase. The state likewise does not regulate late fees or other miscellaneous fees, except for returned check fees. These have a cap of 10% of the original check’s value or $30 (whichever is greater).
- Landlord Entry – Ohio landlords may enter rental property for reasonable rental purposes, like maintenance, inspections, property showings, and the delivery of bulky shipments. Except in emergencies, a landlord must provide at least 24 hours of advance notice.
- Settling Legal Disputes – Ohio lets small claims courts hear landlord-tenant disputes, as long as the amount in controversy is under $3,000. Small claims courts cannot hear eviction cases. The statute of limitations for most landlord-tenant issues in Ohio is eight years.
To learn more about landlord tenant laws in Ohio, click here.
Sources
- 1 Olentangy Commons Owner LLC v. Fawley, No. 22AP-293, 15 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023)
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We conclude that 15 U.S.C. 9058(c)(1) requires that a lessor of covered dwelling must provide a tenant with a notice to vacate 30 days before filing a forcible entry and detainer action.
Source Link - 2 Ohio Rev. Code § 1319.16(A)
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If a collection agency has been designated to collect on a check, negotiable order of withdrawal, share draft, or other negotiable instrument that has been returned or dishonored for any reason, the collection agency may charge and receive check collection charges of not more than thirty dollars or ten per cent of the face amount of the instrument, whichever is greater, and may charge and receive any charge imposed by a financial institution upon the holder of the check, negotiable order of withdrawal, share draft, or other negotiable instrument that has been returned or dishonored for any reason.
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