The Ohio House signed off Wednesday on House Bill 92, a measure that would largely shield landlords from unpaid tenant water, sewer and trash bills by tightening when cities can slap liens on non‑owner‑occupied properties. The 67‑28 vote broke mostly along party lines and could quietly rewrite how municipal utilities go after overdue accounts from renters and property owners across the state.
What HB 92 Would Do
Under the bill, local governments would generally be barred from certifying unpaid water, sewer or disposal charges as a municipal lien on a property when a tenant, not the owner, contracted for service and the owner does not live in the unit. HB 92 creates a rebuttable presumption that anything above a defined "termination amount" cannot be certified against the property, except in narrow cases where the owner agreed to pay or actually occupies the home.
As laid out on the bill page, courts that side with a property owner could order a lien removed and require the municipal authority to pick up the owner's legal tab. The full language is posted on the Ohio Legislature site.
Supporters Say It's About Fairness
Supporters, including the Ohio Apartment Association, argue that current practice lets municipalities pin a tenant's unpaid bill on someone who never opened the account. Laura Swanson, the association's executive director, told the House Local Government Committee that existing rules can "unfairly shift the debt from the party that contracted for the service" and said HB 92 would spell out a clearer, fairer process for landlords. Her comments are detailed in her testimony to the committee.
Opponents Warn It Could Raise Rates
Municipal utilities, city officials and water agencies see it very differently. They argue the bill strips away a key collection tool and will simply push those unpaid costs onto everyone else.
Columbus Water & Power director Kristen Atha warned in written testimony that HB 92 "would illegally interfere with municipal home rule authority" and said that without the power to certify unpaid sanitary charges to the county auditor, utilities could face budget gaps. Columbus Water & Power laid out figures showing millions of dollars in certifications each year and cautioned that losing that money could force rate hikes to plug the hole, according to its written testimony.
How Collections Work Now And What Would Change
Right now, municipal utilities typically send delinquency notices, issue shut‑off warnings and, after repeated attempts to collect, certify unpaid sanitary charges to the county auditor so they show up as special assessments on the property tax bill. HB 92 would narrow which non‑owner‑occupied properties can be certified and would spell out a more direct path for owners to challenge liens in court, including orders to strip liens and recover attorneys' fees. Those procedural shifts are written into the bill's sections on municipal liens and appeals, which are available on the Ohio Legislature site.
What's Next
As reported by Cleveland.com, representatives approved the bill Wednesday on a 67‑28 vote, sending it to the Ohio Senate for the next round of debate. Sponsor Rep. Mark Johnson framed the issue as basic accountability, telling the outlet, "it's your responsibility to pay that bill. it's not your boss's responsibility. it's not your landlord's responsibility." Democrats countered that the bill would end up raising water and sewer rates for millions of Ohioans, according to the reporting.
If HB 92 becomes law, renters who open accounts with municipal utilities would be squarely on the hook for those bills. Landlords would lose one familiar collection backup but also face less risk of surprise liens after a tenant skips out.
Utilities warn the shift could lead to faster shutoffs or tougher collection tactics if other recovery tools come up short, while landlords say the bill finally protects owners who had no hand in a tenant's nonpayment. The real test, if the Senate and governor sign off, will play out in municipal billing offices and local courtrooms across Ohio.
