Posted September 27, 20181:54 pm
CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - If you are paying rent and are forced to live in an apartment or house that is not safe or does not provide even the basic amenities, it can feel like there is no hope.
It does not have to be that way.
“We know that there are tenants living in units that have all kinds of really, really bad conditions that are impacting their health or making their children ill,” says Abigail Staudt, the managing attorney of Legal Aid’s Housing Group.
Staudt says your first step is to give your landlord a written copy of your complaint. If after 30 days the issue has not been resolved, she suggests that you head to your local courthouse and file the papers through the clerk’s office to deposit your rent in escrow.
This protects you from eviction and keeps the landlord from getting his money until the issue is resolved.