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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    1

    Default Landlord Won't Give Roommate a Key to the House

    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Ohio

    Ive been renting a room from a woman who owns her own home for a few months now. Prior to moving in, Ididnt know her at all and so she ran a background check on me which I had no problem with as I only have one minor misdemeanor for disorderly conduct. My landlord and I became close friends as her boyfriend broke up with her and she tells me all the time that she appreciates me being a 'companion' and even went as far as to say via text on thanksgiving day, 'Thanks for taking life's journey with me.'

    Here it is two months later from when I moved in and with each day, I get more and more annoyed that she hasn't given me my own key to get in. I can get into the garage as I know the keypad code but I can't get into the house unless she leaves the door unlocked for me and she is big on locking doors if no one is home. I end up having to text her all the time or respond to texts regarding my comings and goings in order to make sure that I'm able to get in.

    It's starting to get really annoying having to worry about whether or not I can access a place where I pay 150 bucks a week just to rent a room. There's times I'm expected to lock the door when I leave but no one is home or awake to let me back in if I forgot something and need to go back in. I finally texted her last night asking her why she doesn't feel that she can trust me with a key and she responded with, 'It's just a legal thing, I'll explain later. ' That actually doesn't sound legal at all to me. If I'm paying rent, I should be guaranteed access to the premises at all times, yeah? She rents a room to another guy that has been living there a lot longer than me and he has a key so it seems that it's just a trust issue with me.

    I don't think she actually knows landlord tenant law very well because if she was concerned about what's legal and not legal, she wouldn't be going in my room all the time without notice, let alone a 24 hour notice.

    It's becoming really awkward living there as I feel like I'm made out to be some untrustworthy criminal. Does she really have the right to deny me a key? What protection does that offer her? I have mail and property there so even if she wanted to get rid of me, she would have to go through the eviction process and the police would make her let me in as long as I'm legally entitled to live there, right?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    18,340

    Default Re: Renting a Room and the Owner Won't Give Me a Key for 'Legal Reasons.'

    Does she really have the right to deny me a key?
    Probably not but if you are on month to month and want to make an issue of it, she can just give you notice and out you go.

    Next time she's away from the house have a locksmith come out and make you a couple of spare keys.

    Simple, eh?

    As for anything else maybe you should study up on the L-T laws so you know how to put things in writing with proper notice.

    http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/5321

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