Security deposits in Cincinnati are governed primarily by Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.16, which limits deductions to actual damages and unpaid rent and requires landlords to itemize and refund any balance within thirty days after move-out.
Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.16 sets the rules that apply to Cincinnati rental units. Deposits exceeding fifty dollars or one month's rent must accrue annual interest after six months of tenancy, and the landlord must return any unused balance with an itemized statement within thirty days after the tenant moves out and provides a forwarding address. If the landlord wrongfully withholds, the tenant can sue for double the wrongfully withheld amount plus reasonable attorney fees. Cincinnati layers its tenant protection ordinance in CMC Chapter 1011 on top, giving local administrative remedies for related landlord misconduct.
Failing to itemize deductions, missing the thirty-day refund window, or withholding amounts beyond actual damages can expose the landlord to double damages plus attorney fees under ORC 5321.16(C).
Cincinnati, OH
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Cincinnati, OH
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See how Cincinnati's security deposit rules rules stack up against other locations.
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