All residential landlords have certain duties or responsibilities, even if they are not spelled out in the lease. The landlord’s duties are listed below. These duties are in addition to any obligations that are included in the parties’ lease:
In Ohio a landlord has a duty to:
- Put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.
- Keep the common areas safe and sanitary.
- Comply with building, housing, health, and safety codes.
- Keep in good working order all electrical, plumbing, heating, and ventilation systems and fixtures.
- Maintain all appliances and equipment supplied or required by the landlord.
- Provide running water and reasonable amounts of hot water and heat, unless the hot water and hear are supplied by an installation that is under the exclusive control of the tenant and supplied by a direct public utility hook-up.
- Provide garbage cans and arrange for trash removal if the landlord owns four or more residential units in the same building.
- Give at least 24 hours notice, unless it is an emergency, before entering a tenant’s unit, and enter only at reasonable times in a reasonable manner.
- Evict the tenant when informed by a law enforcement officer of drug activity by the tenant, a member of the tenant’s household, or a guest of the tenant occurring in or otherwise connected with the tenant’s premises.