COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOWO) — Ohio lawmakers are considering House Bill 553, legislation that would require landlords to notify tenants of rent defaults before filing for eviction.
Introduced by Reps. Ismail Mohamed of Columbus and Terrence Upchurch of Cleveland, the bill would mandate that landlords provide written notice within 60 days of a missed payment, including the amount owed. Landlords would then be prohibited from filing for eviction until at least 90 days after providing notice and offering tenants the opportunity to negotiate a payment plan.
According to NBC-4 Columbus -If tenants comply with an agreed-upon plan, landlords would be barred from pursuing eviction.
Lawmakers say the bill addresses a rising housing crisis in Ohio. In Franklin County, eviction filings rose to more than 25,000 in 2024, compared with a pre-pandemic average of 18,000. Sponsors say the legislation aims to provide tenants a fair chance to catch up on rent, reduce sudden evictions, and give landlords an opportunity to recover missed payments without court proceedings.
House Bill 553 remains under review in the House Development Committee.
1 comment
Why should landlords be the ones to suffer when trying to evict deadbeat tenants? It is hard enough to get them out of properties as it is, now they want to give them 90 days. Make sure leases state that if a tenant fails to pay, they have to move within 10 days and will take no legal recourse to stay longer. Make sure they sign that prior to moving in.