# Ohio Renters: Who Pays for Repairs? (Landlord vs Tenant) | Who Pays the Repair?

> Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.04 requires landlords to keep rentals fit and habitable, including plumbing, heat, and electrical systems.

**Who pays:** landlord

In Ohio, the landlord must comply with housing codes and keep rental units fit and habitable, including working plumbing, heat, hot water, and electrical/HVAC systems, under Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.04.

**Boundary:** Ohio landlords must comply with housing codes and make all repairs necessary to keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition, under Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.04.

**Exceptions:** Tenant-caused damage is generally excluded from a landlord's habitability duty under Ohio's broader landlord-tenant framework, though the specific carve-out language was not part of this cited provision.

## Sources
- [Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.04 - "Landlord obligations"](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-5321.04) — "Make all repairs and do whatever is reasonably necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition." (accessed 2026-09-13)
- [Ohio Revised Code § 5321.07: Failure of landlord to fulfill obligations, remedies of tenant](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-5321.07) — "the tenant may give notice in writing to the landlord, specifying the acts, omissions, or code violations that constitute noncompliance." (accessed 2026-09-13)
- [Ohio Revised Code § 5321.04: Landlord Obligations](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-5321.04) — "maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning fixtures and appliances, and elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord ... Supply running water, reasonable amounts of hot water, and reasonable heat at all times" (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-09-13. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/ohio-landlord-tenant-repair-responsibility/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._