Ohio Code § 5321.01

§ 5321.01.

As used in this chapter: (A) “ Tenant ” means a person entitled under a rental agreement to the use and occupancy of residential

premises to the exclusion of others. (B) “ Landlord ” means the owner, lessor, or sublessor of residential premises, the agent of the

owner, lessor, or sublessor, or any person authorized by the owner, lessor, or sublessor

to manage the premises or to receive rent from a tenant under a rental agreement. (C) “ Residential premises ” means a dwelling unit for residential use and occupancy and the structure of which

it is a part, the facilities and appurtenances in it, and the grounds, areas, and

facilities for the use of tenants generally or the use of which is promised the tenant.  “ Residential premises ” includes a dwelling unit that is owned or operated by a college or university.  “Residential premises” does not include any of the following: (1) Prisons, jails, workhouses, and other places of incarceration or correction, including,

but not limited to, halfway houses or residential arrangements that are used or occupied

as a requirement of a community control sanction, a post-release control sanction,

or parole; (2) Hospitals and similar institutions with the primary purpose of providing medical

services, and homes licensed pursuant to Chapter 3721. of the Revised Code; (3) Tourist homes, hotels, motels, recreational vehicle parks, recreation camps, combined

park-camps, temporary park-camps, and other similar facilities where circumstances

indicate a transient occupancy; (4) Elementary and secondary boarding schools, where the cost of room and board is included

as part of the cost of tuition; (5) Orphanages and similar institutions; (6) Farm residences furnished in connection with the rental of land of a minimum of two

acres for production of agricultural products by one or more of the occupants; (7) Dwelling units subject to Chapter 3733. of the Revised Code; (8) Occupancy by an owner of a condominium unit; (9) Occupancy in a facility licensed as an SRO facility pursuant to Chapter 3731. of

the Revised Code, if the facility is owned or operated by an organization that is

exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the “Internal Revenue Code of 1986,”

100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 501 , as amended, or by an entity or group of entities in which such an organization has

a controlling interest, and if either of the following applies: (a) The occupancy is for a period of less than sixty days. (b) The occupancy is for participation in a program operated by the facility, or by a

public entity or private charitable organization pursuant to a contract with the facility,

to provide either of the following: (i) Services licensed, certified, registered, or approved by a governmental agency or

private accrediting organization for the rehabilitation of persons with mental illnesses,

persons with developmental disabilities, adults or juveniles convicted of criminal

offenses, or persons experiencing substance abuse; (ii) Shelter for juvenile runaways, victims of domestic violence, or homeless persons. (10) Emergency shelters operated by organizations exempt from federal income taxation

under section 501(c)(3) of the “Internal Revenue Code of 1986,” 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 501 , as amended, for persons whose circumstances indicate a transient occupancy, including

homeless people, victims of domestic violence, and juvenile runaways. (D) “ Rental agreement ” means any agreement or lease, written or oral, which establishes or modifies the

terms, conditions, rules, amount of rent charged or paid, or any other provisions

concerning the use and occupancy of residential premises by one of the parties. (E) “ Security deposit ” means any deposit of money or property to secure performance by the tenant under

a rental agreement. (F) “ Dwelling unit ” means a structure or the part of a structure that is used as a home, residence,

or sleeping place by one person who maintains a household or by two or more persons

who maintain a common household. (G) “Controlled substance” has the same meaning as in section 3719.01 of the Revised Code . (H) “ Student tenant ” means a person who occupies a dwelling unit owned or operated by the college or

university at which the person is a student, and who has a rental agreement that is

contingent upon the person's status as a student. (I) “Recreational vehicle park,” “recreation camp,” “combined park-camp,” and “temporary

park-camp” have the same meanings as in section 3729.01 of the Revised Code . (J) “Community control sanction” has the same meaning as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code . (K) “Post-release control sanction” has the same meaning as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code . (L) “School premises” has the same meaning as in section 2925.01 of the Revised Code . (M) “Sexually oriented offense” and “child-victim oriented offense” have the same meanings

as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code . (N) “Preschool or child care center premises” has the same meaning as in section 2950.034 of the Revised Code . (O) “ Rent control ” means requiring below-market rents for residential premises or controlling rental

rates for residential premises in any manner, including by prohibiting rent increases,

regulating rental rate changes between tenancies, limiting rental rate increases,

regulating the rental rates of residential premises based on income or wealth of tenants,

and other forms of restraint or limitation of rental rates. (P) “ Rent stabilization ” means allowing rent increases for residential premises of a fixed amount or on a

fixed schedule as set by a political subdivision. (Q) “ Political subdivision ” means a county, township, municipal corporation, or any other body corporate and

politic that is responsible for government activities in a geographic area smaller

than that of the state.