Toledo Landlord-Tenant Rules
Toledo adds local rules on top of Ohio landlord-tenant law. Here is what is different, with the city code or agency page behind each rule.
| Tenant right to counsel in evictions | Toledo funds legal representation in Housing Court for tenants facing eviction through Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO). LAWO's materials say applicants must live in Toledo, face eviction, and have income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Apply through LAWO's Legal Aid Line. In its first year the program served 222 households. The city page confirms Ord. 418-21, LAWO as provider and funding of $250,000 a year for five years, but not the income limit. The Chapter 1768 number comes from the 2021 Council agenda title. The five-year funding began in 2021, and news reports in January 2026 said the city's funding would be cut. Current program status should be checked with LAWO. |
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| Pay-to-stay defense (nonpayment evictions) | Before a nonpayment eviction is filed, a tenant may pay the landlord all past-due rent plus reasonable late fees, and the landlord must accept it and continue the tenancy. After filing but before judgment, the tenant may pay all past-due rent, reasonable late fees and court costs, and the landlord must accept it and dismiss the case. If the landlord refuses a full tender, the tender is a defense to the eviction. The text is reprinted in the City's Landlord Education Fair Resource Guide (undated). Council passed it in December 2020. Whether Ohio's 2022 amendment to R.C. 5321.19, which bars local rules on rental-agreement rights and obligations covered by state law, affects this ordinance has not been tested here. |
| Local fair housing protected classes (incl. source of income) | Since 2021, Toledo's 'Discrimination Prohibited' chapter has barred landlords from discriminating based on lawful source of income, including Housing Choice Vouchers and other public assistance. The City's landlord guide notes that a landlord may still use a two- or three-times-rent income test only if it is applied to every applicant, counts all lawful income, and is calculated on the tenant's share of the rent when a voucher or subsidy pays part. The Fair Housing Center of Toledo helps with discrimination complaints. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Ohio Advisory Committee report (2024) lists Toledo Municipal Code ch. 54 (2021) among Ohio local source-of-income laws. Ohio has no statewide source-of-income protection. The income-test guidance is from the City's guide: https://cdn.toledo.oh.gov/uploads/Landlord-Education-Fair-Resource-Guide-v5.pdf |
| Lead-safe rental certification | Residential rentals of 1-4 units built before 1978, and family child care homes in such properties, are presumed to contain lead paint. They must be registered with the Lucas County Auditor and hold a City Lead-Safe Certificate. Section 8 and lease-to-own properties are included. To get a certificate, an owner hires a State-licensed lead professional registered with the City for a clearance inspection (about $400), fixes any hazards, and applies to the City. Units must be certified before a new tenant moves in. Before renting, landlords must give the EPA lead pamphlet, any known lead-hazard information, lead disclosure language in the lease, and a copy of the certificate. Noncompliant owners may be referred to Housing Court. The City page does not cite the code chapter or state current compliance deadlines or penalties. News reports said phased compliance would end December 31, 2026. County rental registration is a state-law requirement administered by the Lucas County Auditor (419-213-4406). |
| Habitability/code enforcement & complaint line | Report property maintenance or structural problems to the City's Code Compliance division at 419-245-1400 (Mon-Fri, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.), or online through Engage Toledo ('Report a Structure Concern'). Tenants can also file a rent escrow case with the Toledo Housing Court. Escrow cases are first referred to mediation. Rent escrow and mediation details: https://www.toledohousingcourt.org/ |
| State preemption | Ohio bars cities from adopting or enforcing any ordinance that conflicts with the state landlord-tenant law or regulates the rights and obligations of parties to a rental agreement that it covers, including rent control or rent stabilization. Local building, housing, health and safety codes are not affected. How far this reaches Toledo's pay-to-stay and source-of-income ordinances has not been verified. |
Eviction cases in Toledo are heard in: Toledo Municipal Court, Housing and Environmental Division (Toledo Housing Court). Hears evictions and rent escrow cases for Toledo, Ottawa Hills and Washington Township.
Right to a lawyer in eviction cases
Yes, city-funded (Ord. 418-21): Legal Aid of Western Ohio represents eligible Toledo tenants facing eviction, reported as at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Funding was reported to be reduced in 2026. Official source
Local agencies
- City of Toledo Code Compliance (Housing and Community Development) — Property maintenance and structural complaints. 419-245-1400.
- City of Toledo Landlord-Tenant Resources — Lists lead-safe rules, right-to-counsel referral, rental assistance and fair housing resources.
Frequently asked questions
What landlord-tenant rules does Toledo add on top of Ohio law?
Tenant right to counsel in evictions: Toledo funds legal representation in Housing Court for tenants facing eviction through Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO). LAWO's materials say applicants must live in Toledo, face eviction, and have income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Apply through LAWO's Legal Aid Line. In its first year the program served 222 households.; Pay-to-stay defense (nonpayment evictions): Before a nonpayment eviction is filed, a tenant may pay the landlord all past-due rent plus reasonable late fees, and the landlord must accept it and continue the tenancy. After filing but before judgment, the tenant may pay all past-due rent, reasonable late fees and court costs, and the landlord must accept it and dismiss the case. If the landlord refuses a full tender, the tender is a defense to the eviction.; Local fair housing protected classes (incl. source of income): Since 2021, Toledo's 'Discrimination Prohibited' chapter has barred landlords from discriminating based on lawful source of income, including Housing Choice Vouchers and other public assistance. The City's landlord guide notes that a landlord may still use a two- or three-times-rent income test only if it is applied to every applicant, counts all lawful income, and is calculated on the tenant's share of the rent when a voucher or subsidy pays part. The Fair Housing Center of Toledo helps with discrimination complaints.; Lead-safe rental certification: Residential rentals of 1-4 units built before 1978, and family child care homes in such properties, are presumed to contain lead paint. They must be registered with the Lucas County Auditor and hold a City Lead-Safe Certificate. Section 8 and lease-to-own properties are included. To get a certificate, an owner hires a State-licensed lead professional registered with the City for a clearance inspection (about $400), fixes any hazards, and applies to the City. Units must be certified before a new tenant moves in. Before renting, landlords must give the EPA lead pamphlet, any known lead-hazard information, lead disclosure language in the lease, and a copy of the certificate. Noncompliant owners may be referred to Housing Court.
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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.