Landlord won’t fix it? Your options in Columbus, OH
Report it to Columbus 311. An inspector can order your landlord to fix it by a deadline. If you only asked by phone or in person, ask again in writing and keep a copy. If it’s still not fixed, Ohio lets you pay rent to the court instead of the landlord. Get legal advice before that step.
Is it an emergency?
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Call 911
Gas smell, carbon monoxide alarm, fire, or sparking wires
Get everyone out first. Deal with the landlord after.
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Legal help now
An eviction notice, a lockout, a utility shutoff, or a rent hike right after you complained
These are legal problems, not repairs. Write down the dates and get advice today. Finding legal help →
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Call 311 today
No heat, no water, no working smoke detector, or sewage coming in
Say it in your first sentence. The city issues emergency orders for no heat, no water, and missing smoke detectors.
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Start below
Everything else
Leaks, pests, mold, broken appliances. Follow the steps below in order.
What to do when your landlord won’t fix it
Put the request in writing
Send the repair request to your landlord, the management company, or whoever you pay rent to, in writing. Date it and keep a copy. Text, email, and the tenant portal all count.
Every Ohio tenant remedy starts from written notice, so the steps below depend on it. Copy a repair letter.
Report it to Columbus 311
File with Columbus 311 online or at (614) 645-3111. An inspector who confirms the problem orders the owner to fix it by a deadline, and the case goes on the public record.
Before you file, search your address to see if neighbors have reported the same problem. If they have, say so in your report.
What to put in the report is in how to report your apartment complex. What happens after you file is on the Columbus code enforcement page.
If it is still not fixed, use rent escrow
Do not just stop paying rent. That can get you evicted for nonpayment.
Ohio’s legal route is rent escrow. You pay your rent to the municipal court clerk instead of the landlord, and the court decides what happens to it. You need to have given written notice, waited a reasonable time of no more than 30 days, and be current on rent. Some small landlords are exempt.
Each step, and where to file in Columbus, is in how rent escrow works.
Get legal advice
Free legal help exists in Franklin County for tenants who qualify by income. Retaliation, eviction threats, and escrow filings are exactly what it handles.
Know Your Block is a neutral public records project. It does not recommend, rank, or partner with any lawyer or organization, so this step points to the county’s own resources instead of naming providers.
The Franklin County Law Library keeps a public guide to free legal advice options in the county. The Franklin County Municipal Court’s Self Help Resource Center, on the 16th floor of 375 S. High St, helps people handling court without a lawyer, with legal information and referrals rather than legal advice.
Searching "legal aid Franklin County" finds the income-based services directly. Bar association referral services can connect anyone with a private attorney, often with a low-cost first consultation.
Bring the paper trail: your written request, the 311 case number, photos, every message with management, and any past complaints on record at your address.
Is your building already on record?
Past complaints at your address back up every step on this page.
Free · no account needed
Common questions
Can I just withhold rent until it is fixed?
Not on your own. Withholding rent can get you evicted for nonpayment. Ohio’s rent escrow process lets you pay rent to the municipal court clerk instead. It requires written notice to the landlord, a reasonable wait of up to 30 days, and being current on rent. Get legal advice before you start.
Can my landlord evict me for reporting them?
Ohio law (Revised Code 5321.02) bars a landlord from raising your rent, cutting services, or evicting or threatening to evict you because you reported a code violation that affects health or safety. If any of that happens after you report, write down the dates and get legal advice right away.
How long does a landlord have to make repairs in Ohio?
A reasonable time after written notice, based on how serious the problem is, and no more than 30 days (Ohio Revised Code 5321.07). Emergencies like no heat or no water are expected to move much faster. If the landlord or management does not answer at all, the clock still starts at your written notice, not at their reply.
What counts as an emergency repair in Ohio?
Ohio law does not set a separate list. It gives the landlord a reasonable time based on how serious the problem is. In Columbus, the city issues emergency orders for no heat, no water, and missing smoke detectors, so report those to 311 the same day and say so in your first sentence. A gas smell, a carbon monoxide alarm, fire, or sparking wires is a 911 call. Get out first and report the building problem after.
How do I find free legal help in Columbus?
Franklin County has free legal help for tenants who qualify by income, and the municipal court runs a Self Help Resource Center for people handling court without a lawyer. The Franklin County Law Library publishes a guide to free legal advice options in the county. Searching for legal aid in Franklin County finds the income-based services directly. Know Your Block is neutral and does not recommend specific providers.
Is this page legal advice?
No. It describes the standard paths and where they start. For advice on your specific situation, talk to a lawyer. The legal advice step above covers how to find one, including the free options.
Keep going
Contacts on this page were verified August 2026. If one has changed, Columbus 311 can route you.
Know Your Block is an independent public-information project operated by Canary Civic LLC, not the City of Columbus and not a law firm. Nothing on this page is legal advice, and this site does not recommend or partner with any legal provider. Report counts come from official City of Columbus code-enforcement records and describe reports filed, not verified conditions.