Ohio Rev. Code § 1923 § 1923.15
Inspection of residential premises - order to correct conditions.
Operative Text
During any proceeding involving residential premises under this chapter, the court may order an appropriate governmental agency to inspect the residential premises. If the agency determines and the court finds conditions which constitute a violation of section 4781.38 or 5321.04 of the Revised Code, and if the premises have been vacated or are to be restored to the landlord, the court may issue an order forbidding the re-rental of the property until such conditions are corrected. If the agency determines and the court finds such conditions, and if the court finds that the tenant or manufactured home park resident may remain in possession, the court may order such conditions corrected. If such conditions have been caused by the tenant or resident, the court may award damages to the landlord equal to the reasonable cost of correcting such conditions.
Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.15 gives courts the authority, during residential eviction or related proceedings, to direct a government agency to inspect the property in question. If that agency finds and the court confirms violations of landlord duties under Ohio law, the court can prohibit re-renting a vacated unit until the problems are fixed, or order repairs if the tenant is allowed to stay. When the problematic conditions were caused by the tenant or manufactured home park resident rather than the landlord, the court may award the landlord monetary damages to cover the reasonable cost of correcting those conditions.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 1923.15, a court-ordered inspection during a residential proceeding can result in a re-rental prohibition if code violations are found on a vacated property, meaning a compliant operator generally keeps rental units in continuous compliance with Ohio Rev. Code §§ 4781.38 and 5321.04 rather than waiting for litigation to surface deficiencies. Operators who document the condition of a unit at move-in and move-out are better positioned to demonstrate whether any violations were caused by the tenant, which is relevant to the court's authority to award damages under this section. Maintaining thorough maintenance records and responding promptly to repair requests reflects the standard of conduct this provision contemplates.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 1923.15 of the Ohio Revised Code provides tenants with a meaningful protection during court proceedings: a judge can order an official government inspection of the rental unit, and if violations of landlord obligations are confirmed, the court can require those conditions to be corrected even while the tenant remains in possession. Tenants who believe their unit has habitability problems relevant to an ongoing proceeding may benefit from raising those concerns with the court, as this provision explicitly contemplates court-ordered remediation. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices familiar with Ohio housing law can help tenants understand how an inspection order under § 1923.15 might apply to their circumstances.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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