Using a CTO Form Letter

The Ohio Landlord Tenant Law requires a tenant to provide a written notice when a landlord is failing to comply with a duty under the law. CTO form letters have been created to guide you in designing a notice to your landlord to correct a condition or respond to a landlord action.

THESE LETTERS DO NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE.
IF YOU NEED LEGAL ADVICE, CONTACT AN ATTORNEY.

Notices to landlords should be delivered to the person or place where you normally pay rent. Please do not send your notice to CTO. For your own records, keep a copy of all the notices given to the landlord.

Generally speaking, the effective date of a notice is the beginning of a rent-paying period.

CTO has printed copies of all the form letters. You can contact CTO by phone or mail for a copy.

You can also print or download a copy of a letter from the CTO model form letters. Please note that these form letters are copyrighted by CTO. You are permitted to make a copy for your own personal use. Remember, if you send a letter, you should always make and keep a copy for your own records.

The following is a list of the 31 model letters. Scroll or page down to see the entire list.

1. Notice to Correct Conditions (FL 2.1)
2. No Repairs - Tenant Terminate Rental Agreement (FL 2.5)
3. Insufficient Notice of Rent Increase (FL 10.1)
4. Improper Rent Increase During a Lease Period (FL 10.2)
5. Retaliatory Rent Increase (FL 6.1)
6. Non-Acceptance of Rent (Fl 5.1)
7. Self-Help Eviction (FL 9)
8. Utility Shut Off Notice to Landlord (FL 1.2)
9. Water Shut Off (Cleveland) Notice to Landlord (FL 1.3)
10. Inadequate Heat - City of Cleveland and Notice to Correct Conditions (FL 2.2)
11. Inadequate Heat - City Code Cited (FL 2.3)
12. Inadequate Heat (FL 2.4)
13. Tenant Paid Utilities (FL 1.1)
14. Tenant Vacate Notice - Security Deposit (FL 3.1)
15. Failure to Return Security Deposit (FL 3.2)
16. Security Deposit Return - Wrongful Deductions (FL 3.3)
17. Property Sold - Return Security Deposit (FL 3.4)
18. Retaliatory Rent Increase (FL 6.1)
19. Retaliatory Service Decrease (FL 6.2)
20. Retaliatory Notice to Vacate (FL 6.3)
21. Retaliatory Threat to Evict (FL 6.4)
22. Insufficient Notice to Terminate Rental Agreement (FL 7.1)
23. Insufficient Notice of Change in Rental Agreement (Other Than Rent Increase) (FL 7.2)
24. Receipt of Notice to Correct (FL 7.3)
    
25. Fair Housing - Sexual Harrassment (FL 8.1)
26. Fair Housing - Reduction or Denial of Services to Families with Children (FL 8.2)
27. Fair Housing - Request to Make Modifications Because of Disability (FL 8.3)
28. Quiet Enjoyment: Letter to Neighbor - City of Cleveland (FL 11.1)
29. Quiet Enjoyment: Letter to Neighbor - City Code Cited (FL 11.2)
30. Quiet Enjoyment: Letter to Landlord (FL 11.3)
31. Illegal Entry by Landlord (FL 4)