Room Rental Agreement in Ohio

For renting a room in a home, including your own home. Some states treat a renter in the owner's home (a lodger) differently when ending the arrangement — see your state's household rules.

What Ohio law says

Renting a room in your own home (lodgers)	No separate lodger statute. Ohio's landlord-tenant chapter excludes hotels, motels, tourist homes and similar transient lodging, but lists no exclusion for renting a room in the owner's home, so a roomer with a rental agreement is generally a tenant. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.01(C)
Tenancy at will	Ohio's statutes do not separately define tenancy at will. Month-to-month tenancies end on notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date, and week-to-week tenancies on at least 7 days' notice. A tenant under an oral tenancy who falls behind on rent can be removed by forcible entry and detainer after the landlord ends the tenancy by notice. Source: Ohio Rev. Code §§ 5321.17(A)-(B), 1923.02(A)(2), (B)

Renting a room in your own home (lodgers)

No separate lodger statute. Ohio's landlord-tenant chapter excludes hotels, motels, tourist homes and similar transient lodging, but lists no exclusion for renting a room in the owner's home, so a roomer with a rental agreement is generally a tenant.

Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.01(C)

Tenancy at will

Ohio's statutes do not separately define tenancy at will. Month-to-month tenancies end on notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date, and week-to-week tenancies on at least 7 days' notice. A tenant under an oral tenancy who falls behind on rent can be removed by forcible entry and detainer after the landlord ends the tenancy by notice.

Source: Ohio Rev. Code §§ 5321.17(A)-(B), 1923.02(A)(2), (B)

Fill it in

Nothing you type leaves your browser. Replace anything still highlighted, and keep a signed copy.

ROOM RENTAL AGREEMENT

Owner/landlord: [owner name] Renter: [renter name]

Room: [room description] in the home at [home address]. Shared areas the renter may use: [shared areas].

Term: begins [start date]; [ends on end date / continues month to month].

Rent: $[monthly rent] due on [due day] by [payment method]. Deposit: $[deposit amount].

Utilities included: [utilities included]. House rules: [house rules, e.g. guests, kitchen use, smoking].

Ending the agreement: either side gives at least [notice period] written notice, and never less than state law requires.

Signatures and dates: [signatures]

Room Rental Agreement for other states · Ohio tenant rights

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.