Ohio Rev. Code § 5321 § 5321.05

Tenant obligations.

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/2/2026
effective 8/22/1990OhioHabitability & Repair

Operative Text

Ohio Rev. Code § 5321 § 5321.05
(A) A tenant who is a party to a rental agreement shall do all of the following:
(1) Keep that part of the premises that he occupies and uses safe and sanitary;
(2) Dispose of all rubbish, garbage, and other waste in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner;
(3) Keep all plumbing fixtures in the dwelling unit or used by him as clean as their condition permits;
(4) Use and operate all electrical and plumbing fixtures properly;
(5) Comply with the requirements imposed on tenants by all applicable state and local housing, health, and safety codes;
(6) Personally refrain and forbid any other person who is on the premises with his permission from intentionally or negligently destroying, defacing, damaging, or removing any fixture, appliance, or other part of the premises;
(7) Maintain in good working order and condition any range, regrigerator, washer, dryer, dishwasher, or other appliances supplied by the landlord and required to be maintained by the tenant under the terms and conditions of a written rental agreement;
(8) Conduct himself and require other persons on the premises with his consent to conduct themselves in a manner that will not disturb his neighbors' peaceful enjoyment of the premises;
(9) Conduct himself, and require persons in his household and persons on the premises with his consent to conduct themselves, in connection with the premises so as not to violate the prohibitions contained in Chapters 2925. and 3719. of the Revised Code, or in municipal ordinances that are substantially similar to any section in either of those chapters, which relate to controlled substances.
(B) The tenant shall not unreasonably withhold consent for the landlord to enter into the dwelling unit in order to inspect the premises, make ordinary, necessary, or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements, deliver parcels that are too large for the tenant's mail facilities, supply necessary or agreed services, or exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workmen, or contractors.
(C)(1) If the tenant violates any provision of this section, other than division (A)(9) of this section, the landlord may recover any actual damages that result from the violation together with reasonable attorney's fees. This remedy is in addition to any right of the landlord to terminate the rental agreement, to maintain an action for the possession of the premises, or to obtain injunctive relief to compel access under division (B) of this section.
(2) If the tenant violates division (A)(9) of this section and if the landlord has actual knowledge of or has reasonable cause to believe that the tenant, any person in the tenant's household, or any person on the premises with the consent of the tenant previously has or presently is engaged in a violation as described in division (A)(6)(a)(i) of section 1923.02 of the Revised Code, whether or not the tenant or other person has been charged with, has pleaded guilty to or been convicted of, or has been determined to be a delinquent child for an act that, if committed by an adult, would be a violation as described in that division, then the landlord promptly shall give the notice required by division (C) of section 5321.17 of the Revised Code. If the tenant fails to vacate the premises within three days after the giving of that notice, then the landlord promptly shall comply with division (A)(9) of section 5321.04 of the Revised Code. For purposes of this division, actual knowledge or reasonable cause to believe as described in this division shall be determined in accordance with division (A)(6)(a)(i) of section 1923.02 of the Revised Code.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.05 sets out a list of obligations that tenants must meet throughout a tenancy. These include keeping occupied spaces safe and sanitary, properly disposing of waste, maintaining plumbing fixtures and appliances, complying with applicable housing and health codes, preventing damage to the property, avoiding disturbances to neighbors, and refraining from controlled-substance violations on the premises. Tenants are also required not to unreasonably block a landlord's access to the unit for legitimate purposes such as repairs, inspections, or showing the unit. When a tenant violates these obligations, the landlord may pursue actual damages, attorney's fees, lease termination, or other legal remedies depending on the nature of the violation.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 9, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.05, compliant landlords typically document the condition of the unit at move-in and throughout the tenancy to establish a baseline against which tenant-caused damage or sanitation failures can be measured. When a tenant's conduct violates the obligations listed in § 5321.05—such as causing damage, disturbing neighbors, or engaging in controlled-substance activity—operators generally follow the notice and documentation procedures outlined in Ohio law before pursuing remedies such as actual damages, attorney's fees, or eviction proceedings. For violations involving controlled substances under § 5321.05(A)(9), the statute imposes a specific notice requirement and a mandatory follow-up obligation on the landlord if the tenant does not vacate within three days.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.05 defines the baseline responsibilities tenants carry during a rental, covering sanitation, appliance care, neighbor relations, code compliance, and controlled-substance prohibitions. Tenants should be aware that a landlord's remedies for violations—including claims for actual damages and attorney's fees—are in addition to the landlord's right to seek eviction or injunctive relief, meaning a single incident could give rise to multiple legal actions. Tenants who believe a landlord is misapplying § 5321.05 or retaliating based on a claimed violation may wish to consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand the full range of available responses.

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.

Effective Timeline

Current
Aug 22, 1990
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.02
Not yet ingested
Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.17
Not yet ingested
Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.04
Not yet ingested

References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 244.260
Compliance required
§ 14.567
ADOPTED BY REFERENCE
§ 244.340
Sewer and water connections

Source Information

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