Ohio Lease Question: Emergency Contact Requirements When Self-Managing Remotely

[Remi Oguntoye]

I’m looking for advice from Ohio landlords/property managers who self-manage.

I’m an out-of-state investor and I self-manage remotely using DoorLoop. Tenants submit all maintenance requests through the portal, and I respond within 24–48 hours. I also have a reliable network of local “boots on the ground” contractors (plumber, handyman, HVAC), but I don’t want to list any of them as the official emergency contact in the lease since that network may change over time.

My current lease has a clause that says:

My challenge is: what is the correct way to structure this for Ohio leases?

My ideal tenant process

• Non-emergency maintenance: submit request through DoorLoop only
• Fire / medical / crime emergencies: call 911 immediately
• Water leaks: shut off water if possible, then notify me immediately
• HVAC outage / no heat: contact me directly so I can dispatch HVAC

What I’m trying to avoid

• Tenants calling random vendors directly
• Tenants texting/calling me for minor issues at 2am
• Listing a specific contractor as “emergency contact” since they might not be my vendor forever

What I’m asking you all

1. Does Ohio require a local emergency contact to be listed in the lease?
2. If not required, what’s the cleanest language to use so tenants understand:
   • DoorLoop is for routine maintenance
   • 911 is for true emergencies
   • certain urgent property emergencies should go through me
3. Do you have any lease clause examples that have held up well in Ohio?

I want to stay compliant and also make expectations clear.

Appreciate any feedback or language you’d recommend.

[Drew Sygit]

Quote from @Remi Oguntoye:

I’m looking for advice from Ohio landlords/property managers who self-manage.

I’m an out-of-state investor and I self-manage remotely using DoorLoop. Tenants submit all maintenance requests through the portal, and I respond within 24–48 hours. I also have a reliable network of local “boots on the ground” contractors (plumber, handyman, HVAC), but I don’t want to list any of them as the official emergency contact in the lease since that network may change over time.

My current lease has a clause that says:

My challenge is: what is the correct way to structure this for Ohio leases?

My ideal tenant process

• Non-emergency maintenance: submit request through DoorLoop only
• Fire / medical / crime emergencies: call 911 immediately
• Water leaks: shut off water if possible, then notify me immediately
• HVAC outage / no heat: contact me directly so I can dispatch HVAC

What I’m trying to avoid

• Tenants calling random vendors directly
• Tenants texting/calling me for minor issues at 2am
• Listing a specific contractor as “emergency contact” since they might not be my vendor forever

What I’m asking you all

1. Does Ohio require a local emergency contact to be listed in the lease?
2. If not required, what’s the cleanest language to use so tenants understand:
   • DoorLoop is for routine maintenance
   • 911 is for true emergencies
   • certain urgent property emergencies should go through me
3. Do you have any lease clause examples that have held up well in Ohio?

I want to stay compliant and also make expectations clear.

Appreciate any feedback or language you’d recommend.

Not aware of any state that requires an emergency contact on the lease.

After dealing with MANY "emergency calls" that were NOT emergencies, we implemented a system:
- Tenants calling our main number are directed to an emergency extension where they MUST leave a vm.
- Their vm is converted to text and sent to whoever is on call for us.
- That person then can read the transcript and quickly determine if it's an actual emergency they need to respond to.

Recommend you figure out how to create a similar system with the tools you have:)