Middletown, OH Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

03 of the Middletown Code of Ordinances, part of the Dwellings chapter adopted May 2, 1944, requires every dwelling and every part of it to be maintained in good repair by the owner or agent and fit for human habitation. The section calls out roof maintenance specifically: the roof must be maintained so it does not leak, and rainwater must be drained and conveyed away from the building so it does not cause dampness in the walls or ceilings. 04 lets the Board of Health, through its officers and employees, order that the deficient condition be removed, abated, suspended, altered or otherwise improved on a schedule the order specifies; if the order is not complied with within ten days, the Board may execute the repair itself through its own contractors and bill the owner, with the unpaid cost becoming a lien on the property recoverable like any other realty lien.

06 require the Board to issue and serve a citation on the responsible person and give them a hearing where they can be apprised of the complaint and either promise to fix the condition within a reasonable time or have the Board do the work. 07 lets the Commissioner of Health order a dwelling vacated outright when it is unfit for human habitation or dangerous to life or health because of disrepair, defective drainage, plumbing, lighting or ventilation, posting the vacate order on the dwelling's front at least ten days before it takes effect unless the danger requires immediate action.