My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: OHIO
I have an urgent issue that I have been trying to resolve but it has been impossible - I've talked to attorneys and they have been no help!!
Basically, back in Feb 09, 6 people (not me) signed a lease for a house which starts SEPT 15,2009. One of the guys decided to not live there anymore and that I would be taking over his lease. Even though I was told I would be required to have a Release Form with all of the tenant's signatures on it, when I came to the landlord's office they did not request one and allowed me to take over the lease and take him off
*Note: when I signed the lease it was APRIL by this time!
FAST FOWARD - - AUGUST! One of the girls (one of the original 6 tenants) and myself decided we do not want to live there anymore and are trying to get out of the lease. The landlord says even though they did not follow procedures about the Release Form, my lease is still binding and we are both stuck to the lease until we have a form signed by the original tenants.
Well, we have been trying to find people to take over our lease, and we HAVE, but some of the original tenants are giving us a hard time, saying they don't like the people, making up excuses about why they don't want them to live at the house, etc.
The primary tenant then decides she is not living there and letting someone else take her spot, but instead of officially doing the paperwork she is planning to let this new girl basically move in and just pay rent, leaving the lease in her original name (since we refused to sign to release the primary tenant unless we were released).
SO NOW... (I am so so sorry if this is confusing), me and the other girl are stuck as to what to do in our situation! We are trying to be cooperative in trying to find people but they are just being so difficult. We have threatened that we would not sign the new girl's Release Form and would call the cops to have her arrested for trespassing if she tried to move her stuff in. We have also threatened to not pay rent, saying we would ALL be evicted and it would be on ALL our records. They still refuse to release us from the rent!
What is the next step, and what could happen if they decide to take us to small claims court? Is it justifiable to argue that we aren't paying rent because we have been trying to be released for months and they aren't cooperating? Would they be able to get the money from us??
PLEASE PLEASE HELP I am so upset and frustrated and I am at my wits end!!!![]()

