Who do I call in Columbus? 311, police, or the health department

Almost every housing and property complaint in Columbus starts at 311: online, in the app, or at (614) 645-3111.

The exceptions are danger happening right now, which is 911, and legal disputes with a landlord, which need legal help rather than an inspector.

Who handles what

Match the problem to the right door. When two doors apply, use both. They handle different halves of the same situation.
Gas smell, carbon monoxide alarm, fire risk, collapse
911
Immediate danger is an emergency call, always. Report the building condition to 311 afterward.
No heat, no water, sewage backup, mold, electrical hazards
Columbus 311
Habitability problems route to code enforcement. The full path →
Rats, roaches, bed bugs, infestations
Columbus 311
Pest problems in rentals are the landlord’s to treat, and the report creates the record. The full path →
Landlord or management ignoring repairs
Columbus 311, then legal advice if it drags
The report builds the paper trail your legal options depend on. The full path →
Vacant house open to entry, dumping, junk vehicles, overgrowth
Columbus 311
Property-maintenance enforcement. The owner gets a notice and a deadline. The full path →
Break-in, trespass, or threat happening now
Police
People problems in progress are police calls. The property condition still goes to 311.
Party or blasting music happening right now
Police non-emergency line
Tonight’s noise is a police matter, and that call never appears in these records. Noise that repeats every weekend is a 311 case: the address, the dates, the hours, and a log. The full path →
Facing eviction, retaliation, or a deposit fight
A tenant lawyer or free legal aid
These are legal disputes, not inspections. Get advice before you act. How to find help, including the free income-based options, is in the landlord guide. The full path →
Not sure which of these it is
Columbus 311
When in doubt, 311. Operators route misfiled complaints every day.

Common questions

Is there a health department number for apartments?

Start with 311 at (614) 645-3111. Columbus routes health nuisance complaints, like sewage and infestations, to the right inspectors. You do not need to find the specific department yourself.

What is the difference between 311 and code enforcement?

311 is the intake: the phone line, app, and website where you file. Code enforcement is the division that inspects and issues violation notices. Reports flow from one to the other.

What if I report to the wrong place?

Nothing bad. 311 operators reroute complaints constantly. The only real mistake is reporting an active emergency to 311 instead of 911.

Keep going

What code enforcement handles→ How to report a code violation→ Landlord won’t fix it? Your options→

Looking at a specific address?

Get the full Block Report, covering what's been reported at that exact address, the same building, and chronic neighbors within a third of a mile.

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Source & method

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.