Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Akron

Find the right Tenant attorney in Akron, OH

Tenant Law in Ohio

Relationships between landlords and tenants in Akron, Ohio can get contentious. It's difficult to be a tenant or a landlord. If one or both parties are not aware of their legal rights and responsibilities, conflicts can arise.

Both parties to a landlord/tenant relationship are governed by an extensive body of laws and regulations, defining their legal rights and obligations.

Landlord's Rights in Akron, OH

First and foremost, landlords have a right to timely payment of rent from their tenants, at the agreed-upon rate. This, of course, imposes on tenants a duty to pay their rent in full, in a timely manner.

Landlords also have a right to be compensated for damage to the building that a tenant causes, either intentionally or negligently. Any damage caused by a tenant, besides reasonable wear and tear, can be billed, and the landlord can deduct from the tenant's security deposit to pay for repairs.

Tenant's Rights in Akron, OH

At the most basic level, tenants have a basic right to what they're paying for: a habitable living environment. Consequently, landlords in Akron, Ohio must ensure that the units they rent to tenants meet some basic standards for human habitation. These requirements vary from state to state, but are often fairly easy to meet. There are no legal criteria that rented units be pretty, particularly spacious, or luxurious. They simply have to be fit for human beings to live in them. To be considered "habitable," rented units must have water, electricity, some form of heating (if the local climate necessitates it), and adequate protection from the elements (proper insulation, no roof leaks, windows that close, etc.).

Tenants also have a right to ensure that the common areas of their apartment building are reasonably safe. Landlords are required to make sure that the common areas of their buildings meet Akron, Ohio's building codes, and that there are no conditions that create unnecessary safety hazards. They are required to make, at their own expense, the proper repairs.

Under the laws of Ohio, and the United States, discrimination in housing on the basis of race, religion, or gender is strictly prohibited. Moreover, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, landlords must not discriminate against renters on the basis of any physical disability. They also have to permit the renter to make reasonable modifications to their apartment, to make it more accessible. Generally, landlords are only required to allow relatively minor and reversible modifications, and tenants cannot compel them to remodel the building, for example. Also, once the tenant leaves, the landlord can bill the tenant for the costs of restoring the apartment to its original condition.

Finally, the laws of most states protect tenants from unfair eviction. In general, as long as a tenant is paying rent on time, and is not damaging the unit, they cannot be evicted before the term of the lease expires, unless there is a very good reason to do so (such as excessive noise caused by the tenant, or illegal activities in the apartment).

Can a Akron, Ohio Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Tenants and landlords always want to avoid getting into any serious disputes - these disputes interfere with the tenant's living arrangement, and the landlord's business. In short, they help nobody. While a good Akron, Ohio attorney can certainly help his or her client prevail in such a dispute, they may be more valuable for their ability to help prevent such disputes from escalating in the first place.

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Life in Akron

Akron is the fifth largest city in Ohio. It is located in Summit County, near the Great Lakes area. In fact, Akron is about 40 miles from Lake Erie.

Some popular sites include the Cuyahoga Falls, the All-American Bridge, the Goodyear Polymer Center, and the All-American Soapbox Derby.

Interestingly, in 2001, Akron was named fifth on the list of "high tech havens" by Newsweek. It has also been awarded as one of the "World's Most Livable Cities," by the National Civic League.

Top employers include Goodyear, The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company, GOJO, A. Schulman, FirstMerit Bank, and Bridgestone. Of course, to support these businesses, and local residents, Akron has a very competent legal force. Many attorneys practice law and devote themselves to providing excellent legal services.

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