Landlord/Tenant and Eviction Law
Dagger Law Real Estate Attorneys can assist you with Landlord/Tenant Law, and Eviction issues.
Being a landlord can be a beneficial source of income for many individuals. At the onset of this adventure, your business plan makes the entire situation seem easy. Buy a property, set the rent, and sit back as the money rolls in. But then your tenant claims that you have violated their rights, or perhaps they refuse to pay. Suddenly the easy work becomes complex and you aren’t sure where the lines are drawn to protect the landlord or the tenant.
As a landlord, you are obligated to:
- Provide running water
- Comply with all housing, building, health, and safety laws (provide habitable housing)
- Keep rental properties in a safe and sanitary condition
- Make repairs in a reasonable amount of time
- Ensure that all electrical, plumbing, heating, and ventilation systems are in good working order
- Provide 24-hour advance notice of entry, in writing, and only enter premises at a reasonable time (respect a tenant’s privacy)
- Comply with anti-discrimination Laws, and not retaliate against a tenant who exercises a legal right
- Prepare a legal rental or lease agreement, in writing
- Follow the procedures for eviction, or termination of tenancy, in an exact nature
Don’t see your particular issue listed above? That is no problem! We enjoy a challenge and are happy to assist you with the legal issue that you are facing. Use our convenient Contact Page to schedule an appointment to discuss your legal matter with an attorney.
If you are unsure of any of the areas above or require legal representation, we recommend contacting an experienced attorney to guide you. This is particularly wise guidance when it comes to the execution of an eviction, or when you have a tenant that has been disruptive to your business plan, or destructive to your property. By seeking legal counsel early, you can potentially keep a minor issue from becoming a major issue with a simple letter from an attorney.
Please be mindful that, in Ohio, it is never acceptable for a landlord to force a tenant to move out. An eviction lawsuit must be filed with the court, and then a sheriff is authorized to evict the tenant. Dagger Law attorneys can ensure that this process is handled efficiently, on your behalf, but depending on the circumstances these proceedings can take substantial time to finalize. Please be aware that evictions, even when everything goes well, can take 4-6 weeks before they are complete.
A tenant is responsible for:
- Paying the rent, when due
- Keeping the premises clean and in a sanitary condition
- Ensuring that no part of the property is not damaged, defaced, or destroyed, by themselves, or guests
- Using all appliances, plumbing, and electrical fixtures properly
- Conducting themselves, and ensuring that guests also behave, “in a manner that will not disturb his neighbors’ peaceful enjoyment of the premises”
- Ensuring that all reasonable requests to enter the property, by the landlord, are honored
If you believe that your landlord isn’t holding up their end of the bargain, we encourage you to continue to pay your rent, and seek legal advice. We understand that there are times where a tenant can be frustrated and feel like the only recourse they have is to withhold payment of rent until unsatisfactory conditions are met, but that course of action only encourages legal action against the tenant. A landlord’s failure to meet their obligations is best contested by paying an attorney to represent your interests. Often, a letter from an attorney is all that is needed as a wake up call. Other times you need an experienced litigator on your side. Whatever the circumstances, Dagger Law real estate attorneys can assure that you get the best legal representation for your case.
Will a landlord-tenant attorney travel to me, or do I need to come to your offices in either Lancaster or Canal Winchester?
While some meetings will need to occur in our offices, we try to minimize your travel time. We offer two convenient office locations in Lancaster and Canal Winchester, Ohio. Our goal is to reduce the disruption to your life caused by legal issues and conduct most communications or meetings through emails or phone calls. In certain circumstances, we realize that clients can’t reach us, and we may be required to visit your location. Suppose you retain a Dagger Law attorney to represent you. In that case, they will travel to the necessary court hearings and legal procedures to represent you anywhere in Ohio! Please note that in some instances, the cost to represent your case may require an unusual amount of money due to travel expenses. In such cases, we may recommend using legal representation closer to the location of your case. We are happy to provide referrals in these instances if we are able.
Where You Can Find Our Lancaster Injury Attorneys
Our injury lawyers proudly serve the following communities throughout central and southeastern Ohio:
- Fairfield County
- Franklin County
- Hocking County
- Licking County
- Pickaway County
- Baltimore, Ohio
- Buckeye Lake, Ohio
- Canal Winchester
- Circleville, Ohio
- Greater Columbus Ohio Area
- Lancaster, Ohio
- Logan, Ohio
- Newark, Ohio
- Other locations nearby
Check out the nearest location to you by clicking on Our Locations Page.