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Referral line for Canton and Stark County, Ohio24 hours a day, 7 days a week(330) 555-0163

Guide

Landlords: a death, crime or needles in a rental

A death in a unit, a violent incident in a hallway, needles left after a move-out. Here is what Ohio law asks of you and how to get the unit back in use safely.

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Hallway of an older brick apartment building with wooden doors

Ohio law

Your duties as a landlord

Ohio Revised Code 5321.04 requires a landlord to:

  • comply with applicable building, housing, health and safety codes
  • make repairs and do what is reasonably necessary to keep the premises fit and habitable
  • keep common areas safe and sanitary
  • keep supplied electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating and ventilation fixtures in good working order

A unit with blood, decomposition or needles in it does not meet that standard until it is cleaned. For questions about a tenant's belongings or the lease after a death, talk to an attorney.

Source: ORC 5321.04 (FindLaw; codes.ohio.gov did not load on 1 Nov 2026)

Your staff

Don't send maintenance in with a mop

OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard applies to employers whose workers may be exposed to blood. It requires an exposure control plan, protective equipment, training and hepatitis B vaccination. Most maintenance teams are not set up for that, which is why the job goes to a cleanup company.

Source: OSHA, Bloodborne Pathogens

A sealed doorway with plastic sheeting in an older building

Checklist

Getting the unit back

  1. Secure it

    Lock the unit and keep other tenants and staff out until it is released and cleaned.

  2. Talk to the family

    If a tenant died, coordinate access to belongings with the family or estate.

  3. Call your insurer

    Ask whether your property policy covers the cleanup and any repairs.

  4. Book the cleanup

    Ask for a written scope, and photos of the work for your records.

When you are ready

One call, no pressure to decide on the spot

Some people call within the hour. Others wait until the funeral is over. Either is fine. Keep the affected room closed until then and leave the cleanup to people with the right equipment.

Talk it through with someone now

You reach an independent cleanup company that covers your ZIP code. Ask what they would do, how they price it and when they could start. You decide whether to go ahead.

Call (330) 555-0163

Lines answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The call-routing service may record calls. How that works: referral disclosure, privacy policy.

Call (330) 555-0163