Springfield, OH Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Springfield Codified Ordinances §§ 701.02, 701.03
- Complaint trigger
- Tenant reports a Code violation to the City
- City duty
- Written notice to landlord of the complaint
- Repeat pamphlet violation
- Class B Civil Offense (Ch. 1324)
- Administering office
- Community Development Director
Summary
Springfield, Ohio handles rental habitability through a City-initiated complaint process rather than a stand-alone housing code: Codified Ordinances Section 701.03 requires the City to notify a landlord in writing when a tenant reports a code violation, and lets Community Development pursue enforcement if the landlord does not fix it within a reasonable time. Section 701.02 separately makes landlords give every tenant the state Landlord-Tenant Act pamphlet before move-in.
701.03 TENANT-INITIATED HOUSING COMPLAINTS ... When the City receives a complaint from a tenant of Code violations on the premises of the property subject to a rental agreement, the City shall give notice in writing to the landlord, including the nature of the complaint. If a landlord, after receipt of such notice, fails to remedy the condition within a reasonable time considering the severity of the condition and the time necessary to remedy it, the City may proceed with enforcement measures to gain Code compliance.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 701, Landlord-Tenant Rights and Responsibilities, opens with Section 701.02, which requires every landlord to furnish tenants information on their rights under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321, the Ohio Landlord-Tenant Act, before occupancy begins, either as a printed pamphlet prepared by the City or a written notice pointing to an internet address set by the Community Development Director. The tenant must sign to acknowledge receipt, and a warning must be posted near the signature line that forging a signature can carry criminal penalties. The Community Development Director supplies the pamphlet and specimen notice to landlords at no cost.
Section 701.03 is the operative habitability-enforcement tool: once the City receives a tenant complaint about Code violations on rental premises, the City must give the landlord written notice describing the complaint, and if the landlord fails to remedy the condition within a reasonable time (measured against the severity of the condition and the time needed to fix it), the City may proceed with enforcement measures to gain compliance. Section 701.04 then defers the substantive dispute-resolution rights and remedies for rent disputes to Ohio R.C. Chapter 5321 rather than creating a separate City remedy.
Failure by a landlord to produce a signed pamphlet-receipt on request from the Community Development Director, under Section 701.02(d)-(e), escalates on a second violation within twelve months to a Class B Civil Offense under Chapter 1324.
Violations & Fines
A landlord who cannot produce a signed acknowledgment of the tenant pamphlet, on a second violation within a rolling twelve-month period, is guilty of a Class B Civil Offense under Chapter 1324 of the Codified Ordinances. For habitability complaints under Section 701.03, the City's remedy is code-enforcement action (not a fixed fine schedule in this chapter) after the landlord is given written notice and a reasonable window to remedy the condition; the Community Development Director's office administers the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a Springfield tenant report a habitability problem?
What happens if the landlord ignores the notice?
Do Springfield landlords have to give tenants a rights notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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