Month-to-month leases in Ohio

It's important to understand your rights and responsibilities if you have a month-to-month lease or another kind of "periodic lease" or "periodic tenancy."

How do I know if I have a month-to-month lease?

A month-to-month lease can be in writing or verbal. If you have a written lease, read your lease agreement carefully to you know what kind of lease you have. Look for the terms “month to month.”

If you don’t have a written agreement and you have an oral or verbal lease, you have a month-to-month lease if you pay your rent once a month around the same day each month. 

A month-to-month lease is the most common type of periodic lease, but a periodic lease could also be week-to-week or year-to-year.

If your written lease has a set beginning and ending date, you probably have a fixed-term lease, not a month-to-month (or periodic) lease.

Can my landlord end my month-to-month lease?

Yes, a landlord can end a month-to-month lease, but they have to give you enough advance notice. 

If you have a month-to-month lease, your landlord usually has to give you notice at least 30 days before the date they want the lease to end. For example, if your landlord wants your lease to end on Oct. 31, they must give you notice by Oct. 1.

If you have a week-to-week lease, your landlord usually has to give you notice at least 7 days before the date they want the lease to end.

In some situations, your landlord can end your lease with less notice. For example, if you didn’t pay rent or if your landlord knows of illegal drug activity by you or someone in your home, your landlord would give only a 3-day notice before ending the lease.

If you believe your landlord is ending your lease because of your race, sex or disability, or because you belong to a certain group of people, you should seek legal help. You may qualify for free legal help through legal aid. Learn more about your rights under Ohio and federal fair housing laws. 

If you need to end your lease early, read about moving out before your lease ends.

Can my landlord raise my rent?

Yes, your landlord usually can raise your rent, but they have to give you proper notice depending on the type of lease you have. (An exception is if you live in subsidized housing.)

If you have a month-to-month lease, your landlord must give you notice at least 30 days before raising the rent.

If you have a week-to-week lease, your landlord must give you notice at least 7 days before raising the rent.

Your landlord can’t raise your rent just to retaliate or take action against you if you complain about a serious problem affecting health or safety.

Can my landlord ask me to leave so they can sell to a new owner?

If your landlord is selling the property to a new owner:

• Continue to pay your rent. If your rental home is being sold, keep paying your rent on time and contact the new owner as soon as the home is sold. Make sure to get any agreements in writing with the new owner.
• Your lease likely will carry over. If your landlord sells the property to a new owner, your original lease would carry over to the new owner, unless your written lease includes a statement about the lease ending if the property is sold.
• You must be notified before a buyer enters. If your landlord wants to show the property to a potential new owner, your landlord has to give you reasonable notice (usually 24 hours) before entering.
• You can't unreasonably stop buyers from coming in. As a tenant, you can’t unreasonably stop your landlord from entering the unit or from allowing a buyer, worker or contractor in.