SLS is a non-profit law office that contracts with Ohio State to provide legal advice, representation, education and resources to Ohio State students. Among other legal matters, SLS assists students with the transition to moving and then living off-campus.
Your student should schedule a lease review with SLS. During a lease review, a SLS licensed Ohio attorney will go through your student’s lease line-by-line and explain his rights and responsibilities under Ohio law. Landlord-Tenant law varies by state, and leases in Ohio are not standard. So, it’s important to have the lease reviewed by an attorney who is familiar not only with the law itself, but with the landlords in the area as well.
The attorney will point out unenforceable lease clauses, provide guidance about obtaining renter’s insurance, encourage your student to draft a roommate agreement and give him a sample to use, answer any questions he has, and more. With your student’s permission, parents/guardians can attend the lease review by phone. That way, the SLS attorney can explain your role as a co-signor/guarantor on the lease.
We encourage students to have their leases reviewed before they sign the lease. However, if your student already signed a lease for next year, a lease review is still important for your student (and you) to know the student’s legal rights and responsibilities. You don’t want your student to miss out on learning the steps he should take at move-in to ensure he receives his full security deposit back after move-out! Or, the legal requirements your student must follow to request repairs.
SLS staff will be available to talk to students and parents about moving off-campus during Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services’ Off-Campus Living Expo. Held on Thursday, March 21, 2024 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Ohio Union, Performance Hall, the Living Expo is a great opportunity to learn about off-campus properties, talk to landlords, and get valuable resources from campus departments.
For more information about Student Legal Services, visit http://studentlegal.osu.edu and be sure to sign up for SLS’s Parent Newsletter to receive regular updates from the Lawyers for Students.