Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Cleveland Heights

Find the right Tenant attorney in Cleveland Heights, OH

Tenant Law in Ohio

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

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

Landlord's Rights in Cleveland Heights, 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 whole, in a timely manner.

Landlords also have a right to be paid for damage to the building that a tenant causes, either intentionally or negligently. All 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 Cleveland Heights, OH

Much like landlords have a right to get paid for the service they provide, tenants have a right to get what they pay for: a suitable place to reside. In Cleveland Heights, Ohio, all residential rental agreements carry an "implied warranty of habitability." This means that a landlord implicitly guarantees that any residence he or she rents will be fit for human habitation. In general, an unit will be automatically deemed uninhabitable if it lacks running water, electricity, heat, and acceptable protection from the elements. There are numerous more factors that can be considered, as well, but those are some of the basics.

Furthermore, tenants are entitled to common areas that are reasonable safe and sanitary. The common areas of an apartment building would contain lobbies, laundry rooms, stairwells, hallways, and fire escapes (essentially, any part of the building which all of the tenants can access). In Cleveland Heights, Ohio, these areas must be kept reasonably clean and safe.

Under the laws of Ohio, and the United States, discrimination in housing on the basis of race, religion, or gender is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, landlords must not discriminate against renters on the basis of any physical disability. They also have to allow 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.

Lastly, the laws of most states safeguard 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 Cleveland Heights, 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 Cleveland Heights, Ohio attorney can definately help his or her client prevail in such a dispute, they may be more essential for their ability to help prevent such disputes from escalating in the first place.

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Life in Cleveland Heights

Cleveland Heights, Ohio is a suburb of the larger city of Cleveland, the second-largest city in Ohio. It has a population of about 41,000 people, and is situated in Cuyahoga County.

Cleveland heights is mostly residential, and serves as a "bedroom community" for people who work in Cleveland, but want to live in the more quiet and spacious suburbs. Cleveland Heights has a thriving arts community, boasting galleries, theaters, art studios, and more. This makes it especially attractive for younger professionals who are beginning to settle down, but still want to live in a somewhat-cosmopolitan environment, and have easy access to a large city and all the trappings it entails. The city also has several swimming pools, outdoor markets, and an iceskating rink, for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Cleveland Heights, Ohio also has an attractive downtown shopping area, much of which is walkable. Cleveland Heights has a low crime rate for the region, and a relatively high median family income, compared with surrounding communities.

All in all, Cleveland Heights, Ohio is a good place to raise a family, especially if you or your partner work in Cleveland, but don't want to live in the heart of a major urban area.

There are plenty of Cleveland Heights, Ohio lawyers who can help you with whatever legal problem the average person is likely to face. And with the larger city of Cleveland very close by, your selection of lawyers in Cleveland Heights, Ohio is hard to beat.

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