Ohio Rev. Code § 5321 § 5321.02
Retaliatory action by landlord prohibited.
Operative Text
(A) Subject to section 5321.03 of the Revised Code, a landlord may not retaliate against a tenant by increasing the tenant's rent, decreasing services that are due to the tenant, or bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession of the tenant's premises because: (1) The tenant has complained to an appropriate governmental agency of a violation of a building, housing, health, or safety code that is applicable to the premises, and the violation materially affects health and safety; (2) The tenant has complained to the landlord of any violation of section 5321.04 of the Revised Code; (3) The tenant joined with other tenants for the purpose of negotiating or dealing collectively with the landlord on any of the terms and conditions of a rental agreement. (B) If a landlord acts in violation of division (A) of this section the tenant may: (1) Use the retaliatory action of the landlord as a defense to an action by the landlord to recover possession of the premises; (2) Recover possession of the premises; or (3) Terminate the rental agreement. In addition, the tenant may recover from the landlord any actual damages together with reasonable attorneys' fees. (C) Nothing in division (A) of this section shall prohibit a landlord from increasing the rent to reflect the cost of improvements installed by the landlord in or about the premises or to reflect an increase in other costs of operation of the premises.
Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.02 prohibits landlords from taking certain adverse actions against tenants in response to protected activities. Specifically, a landlord cannot raise rent, cut services, or pursue or threaten eviction because a tenant reported a health or safety code violation to a government agency, complained to the landlord about the landlord's legal duties under § 5321.04, or joined with other tenants to collectively negotiate lease terms. The law does carve out a legitimate reason for rent increases: landlords may raise rent to reflect the actual cost of improvements or increased operating expenses, even if the timing coincides with a tenant's protected activity.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.02, compliant property owners are careful to ensure that any rent increase, service reduction, or eviction action is grounded in a documented, non-retaliatory reason—such as rising operating costs or capital improvements—rather than a tenant's complaint or organizing activity. Operators generally maintain records that clearly connect rent adjustments to specific cost changes, so that the legitimate-reason exception in § 5321.02(C) is well-supported if a dispute arises. Being aware of the timing of any adverse action relative to a tenant's protected activity is a standard part of sound property management practice in Ohio.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.02 gives tenants meaningful protections if a landlord responds to a code complaint, a complaint about the landlord's legal duties, or collective tenant organizing with a rent hike, service cut, or eviction threat. If a landlord does take such action, § 5321.02(B) outlines several potential remedies available to tenants, including using retaliation as a defense in an eviction proceeding, recovering possession of the premises, terminating the rental agreement, and seeking actual damages plus reasonable attorneys' fees. Tenants who believe they are experiencing retaliation may consider documenting the timeline of events, contacting a local tenant-rights organization, or consulting with a legal aid office to understand which of these paths may be available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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