September 2023 Issue

Tenant & Housing Provider Responsibilities

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Tenant & Housing Provider Responsibilities

A good relationship is always helped with thoughtful communications. We find that tenants do better when they understand what they are responsible for and what you are responsible for. We borrowed this from the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.

If you have concerns about your tenant or need support for emerging issues or problems, please reach out to our Community Housing Agents at 216-503-6369 or edenlandlordinfo@edencle.org. They can link you to resources, connect with the tenant's housing stability specialist, or even identify financial resources available to you.

A tenant has the duty to:

1. Pay rent on time.
   1. If the tenant does not pay the rent on time, the housing provider can refuse to accept their rent and evict them. Tenants should try not to pay in cash, but if they do, they should get a receipt each time. Tenants who pay in cash should not agree to have a receipt sent by mail. If the housing provider does not give receipts, the tenant can create one and ask the housing provider to sign it. If the tenant pays by check or money order, they should keep the bank statements showing that the check was cashed or the money order receipt to prove the rent was paid. (Remember that a money order receipt only proves that the money order was purchased, not that it was given to the housing provider.
2. Keep the premises safe and sanitary.
3. Dispose of rubbish in the proper manner.
4. Keep the plumbing fixtures as clean as their condition permits.
5. Use electrical and plumbing fixtures properly.
6. Comply with housing, health, and safety codes that apply to tenants.
7. Refrain from damaging the premises and keep guests from causing damage.
8. Maintain appliances supplied by the property owner in good working order.
9. Conduct themselves in a manner that does not disturb any neighbors and require guests to do the same.
10. Permit the property owner to enter the dwelling unit if the request is reasonable and proper notice is given.
11. Comply with state or municipal drug laws in connection with the premises and require household members and guests to do likewise.

The tenant's relationship with their housing provider …

• It is important to understand that by agreeing to rent the housing provider's property, the tenant is entering into a business relationship and not a friendship with the housing provider. The tenant should keep this in mind when dealing with the housing provider.
• Treat the housing provider politely and respectfully
• Try to get along with the housing provider, which means trying to work problems out and not getting angry and arguing with the housing provider. It also means the tenant should keep their temper if they have to talk to the housing provider about the need for repairs
• If something breaks, the tenant should tell the housing provider right away, preferably by giving a written notice. If there is a delay in having something repaired, it may cause further damage (for example, leaking water can cause the floor to rot), and the tenant may be responsible for the costs of the repair

A housing provider has the duty to:

1. Give a receipt for all rent payments.
2. Put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.
3. Keep the common areas safe and sanitary.
4. Comply with building, housing, health, and safety codes.
5. Keep in good working order all electrical, plumbing, heating, and ventilation systems and fixtures.
6. Maintain all appliances and equipment supplied or required to be supplied by the property owner.
7. Provide running water and reasonable amounts of hot water and heat, unless the hot water and heat are supplied by an installation that is under the exclusive control of the tenant and supplied by a direct public utility hook-up.
8. Provide garbage cans and arrange for trash removal if the property owner owns four or more residential units in the same building.
9. Give at least 24 hours notice, unless it is an emergency, before entering a tenant's unit, and enter only at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner.
10. Evict the tenant when informed by a law enforcement officer of drug activity by the tenant, a member of the tenant's household, or a guest of the tenant occurring in or otherwise connected with the tenant's premises.

What the law says a housing provider CANNOT do — even if the tenant is behind in rent ...

• The housing provider may not increase rent, decrease services, evict, or even threaten to evict the tenant(s) because they complained about needed repairs, asked for the home to be inspected by the local government housing inspector, or participated in a tenants' group or union.
• A housing provider is not permitted to shut off any utilities, change the locks or threaten any of these acts in order to make a tenant move out of a home.
• A housing provider cannot harass a tenant by demanding over and over to enter a home or by entering at unreasonable times of the day or without a proper purpose.
• A housing provider is not permitted to evict a tenant or remove any of property from the home without a court order signed by a judge.
• A housing provider is not permitted to keep a tenant's belongings to try to force them to pay rent.

Content courtesy of Tenant Information Line of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. For more resources, click here.

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