Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Ohio

My boyfriend and i signed a lease to rent a house a little over a week ago. We paid first and last months rent, and a security deposit. We have not moved in or spent the night there because two days signing the lease, we found the house to be infested with bed bugs. We no longer want to rent the house. Does the landlord have to give the money back?


Asked on 4/20/13, 10:35 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
John Sauter Cloppert, Latanick, Sauter & Washburn

As is the case with most landlord-tenant questions, your answer depends on the wording of your lease.

In Ohio is no "3 day" period in which a person who signs a lease can back out of the lease and get all their money back. This only applies to certain transactions, like pre-paid entertainment contracts, gym memberships, etc.

Therefore, you need to look to the wording of your lease to determine if you have any cancellation rights.

Should the landlord refund your money? Yes, if the situation is as you describe it. But unless there is cancellation language in your lease agreement, your landlord is likely not obligated to do so.

Try to work out an agreement with your landlord. Perhaps he or she would be willing to pay for a thorough cleaning of the house in order to keep you as tenants.

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Answered on 4/22/13, 10:59 am


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