Landlord Harassment In Ohio

Summary

The user, a tenant in Ohio, believes her rights were violated by her landlord. She alleges that the landlord stalked and harassed her, causing her to feel nervous and intimidated. She has text messages as evidence of the landlords behavior. The landlord also allegedly tried to force her to sell her sons motorcycle to cover rent. The user has not taken any legal action yet due to financial constraints. She was informed about free legal aid services in Ohio, but believes they wont take her case.

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Well it's a long story ,but if you don't hear how everything started you won't understand
I understand, ****. Could you please provide a brief overview of your legal issue?
I feel like my rights somehow were violated. Because of the text messages and how he followed my son and I to get assistance for rent. Because as soon as we walked out the CAC doors my texts were there. Asking what come of the appointment. Then he asked them they never told. By the time I was almost home he texted again telling me that if he didn't hear from them by a date he was going to his attorney to file. Well he was badgering me the entire time I was trying to get all my paperwork done,I was becoming a nervous wreck. He continued not kidding up to the time that we was accepted. And even he came to my house I was nervous to answer the door, but he said that we were approved .I was so embarrassed when I went to speak to the lady over the way he was . I just couldn't believe how he was acting
Who is this person to you and what is their relation to your rent assistance process?
He is the landlord.
What specific actions of the landlord do you believe violated your rights?
Just following me ,stalking I would say. Some of the thingss he would say .I lost my job and then my employers ended up selling the place .so I was applying everywhere .as to fo no reply. I just can't believe that someone could say and do what he did I have the messages, he has me so nervous all the time. And alot of it afterwards I think was retailation. Because he assumed that we still wouldn't be able to pay , he would put up a three day notice to leave before he would get a call from us that we had the rent for two months on the day it was to be paid. I feel it was his intent to intimidate us to leave. And ridiculing us to leave state because this area isn't for bums. That don't want to work .I feel like now he holds a grudge.
Did you report this to any local authorities or legal bodies? In Ohio, landlords are prohibited from harassing tenants and retaliation is illegal under Ohio Revised Code *.*(A).
No I didn't think anyone would do anything ,my friend said I shouldn't let him get away with this. I am not the same I look at people differently now
What evidence do you have of this harassment? Text messages, emails, or any other form of communication can be crucial in such cases.
If anything I don't think he should be a landlord.
What kind of evidence do you have against your landlord? Text messages, emails, or any other form of communication can be crucial in such cases.
I have every text that he sent me. .
What specific threats or harassing statements did your landlord make in these text messages?
I can send the messages ,but right at this moment I have to leave for a appointment . I just can't believe that he did this ,and that's just what I thought .he can do what he wants just like he texted me that he tells me what to do that I don't tell him. I guess he's allowed to treat someone that way. I blocked him once on how he was texting .
What specific actions or words from your landlord made you feel harassed or intimidated?
Yes I have the messages that he sent
What is the nature of these messages and how are they related to your legal issue?
I guess the question is what are landlords allowed to do .
In Ohio, landlords have certain rights and responsibilities, such as:

- Collecting rent
- Entering the property for inspections or repairs
- Evicting tenants for lease violations

Is there a specific situation you're concerned about?
The day before our court hearing ,he calls my boyfriend Ron and demands the we pay him * for his attorney fees or he won't stop the eviction even when he was the one that told us that we had gotten the assistance.
Did you sign any agreement that states you would be responsible for your landlord's attorney fees in case of a dispute?
Regardless someone told me that that was illegal regardless what is in his lease
What is the exact clause in your lease regarding attorney fees? In Ohio, landlords can't always pass on legal fees to tenants, it depends on the lease agreement and the nature of the dispute.
That Ohio don't make the tenants pay leagal fees . Especially when he received them in all the back rent and fees he received from them . And if that was in the lease then ,why was we suppose to have our rent raised one hundred dollars more than it states in the lease
Did you receive a written notice about the rent increase? In Ohio, landlords must provide a *-day notice for rent increases.
So if I loose my head over his treatment and something happens everyone was told because him stalking and taking account of what we have , that he thinks was paid for with his rent which wasn't a lot of the things he was telling us we shouldn't have that we should have that we should have paid rent with ,was gifted and or traded for. So how can he do that
What evidence do you have of his stalking and harassment? In Ohio, stalking and harassment are illegal and can be reported to the police.
So if maybe * pages of texts isn't harassment then I don't know
What is the content of these text messages? Are they threatening or abusive in nature? In Ohio, harassment can be considered a form of stalking, which is illegal.
Ridiculing belittling and trying to get us to sell our son's motorcycle to him for two months of rent . That isn't ours to sell . And he would just go on and on
What steps have you taken so far to address this issue with your landlord?
Nothing because I don't have money for a attorney .
Are you aware of the free legal aid services available in Ohio? They can provide assistance to individuals who can't afford an attorney.
They won't take cases with someone sueing a person or company.
What is the name of the legal aid service you contacted? In Ohio, there are several organizations that provide free legal help, such as Ohio Legal Help and Legal Aid Society of Columbus.
It states it on the web sight .southeastern or western I don't remember
Could you please clarify the legal issue you're facing so I can provide more accurate information?
No
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