Legal Aid Helps with Rental Housing Questions

By Tonya Sams

There are a number of questions that may come up when you are a tenant of a rental property. Renters may feel that they have very few rights because they do not own the property that they dwell in. If tenants are unaware of their rights, they can be taken advantage of by their landlords. Legal Aid can help answer your questions regarding these rights.

Tenants can call Legal Aid’s Tenant Information Line at 216-861-5955 and leave a message. A housing specialist will call back during normal business hours, within 1- 2 business days. Legal Aid housing specialists can answer several tenant questions such as:

• Am I allowed to break my lease?
• My landlord needs to make repairs. How can I get them to do this?
• What can I do to get my security deposit back?
• Do I have to keep paying rent if my landlord is not paying the utilities that they are responsible for?
• Do I need to move if I received a 3-day notice?
• How much can my landlord charge for late fees?

Legal Aid’s Tenant Information Line is for information only. Callers will get answers to their questions and will also receive information about their rights. Some callers may be referred to other organizations for additional help. Callers who need legal assistance may be referred to Legal Aid’s intake or a neighborhood Brief Advice Clinic. For a list of upcoming free Brief Advice Clinic dates and locations, visit lasclev.org/events. For more information about Legal Aid’s Tenant Info Line, visit lasclev.org/tenantinfoline.

Tonya Sams is the Development and Communications Assistant for The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.