Damages after deposit returned??

[Tamara Laycox]

Hi friends! 👋 would love some direction…Other than the ORC (Ohio Revised Code) where could I go to really learn landlord tenant laws and requirements for Ohio inside and out?

*also wondering ohio landlord recourse b/c of the following scenario:

2 Tenants (friends...but now no longer friends) on a year lease. They move out and surrender keys 6 months earlier than end of lease term.

A government document was accepted from one of the tenants as valid reason for terminating the lease early and security deposit was returned.

$4000+ in repairs ended up being needed and done to get it rent ready again (not found before deposit was returned).

Then it was discovered (2 months later) the government document was falsified and did not actually come from their employer regarding re-location. Tenants were contacted, one wont respond or do a thing and the other tenant who fudged the form is responding and they are discussing payment plan for the amount of rent for remainder of the lease term totaling $11,000.00

NOTE: This is NOT my tenant, thank goodness. But the whole scenario with this acquaintance of mine has intrigued me since I am a very 'green' landlord with only one tenant experience so far. Even after reading and re-reading the lease and scouring the ORC I can't figure out what their next step should be or if they even have a leg to stand on since they accepted the keys and returned the security deposit.

-Can they send the tenant to collections? Would they have to sue for damages? And where do I find the laws and regulations that would better answer specific questions like this and what steps to take when a tenant breaches contract?

Thank you so much! 😀