Requirements for obtaining a housing or vacant property license may be found in Sections 1306.43 to 1306.491.  The city is offering the following resources to assist landlords in Lakewood.

• Best Rental Practices: A Manual for Lakewood Landlords
  The City has provided a guideline for landlords to help with various issues including applicant screening, rental agreements, crisis resolution, working with our building and housing officials and other problems facing landlords.
• A Friendly Lakewood Landlord Quiz
  Take a short quiz to test your knowledge as a landlord!
  How to be a GREAT Landlord in the City of Lakewood
  Here’s a brief list of the steps you must take to become a well-informed and effective landlord within the City of Lakewood.
• Tenant Screening Discount Program
  Lakewood Landlords are entitled to deep discounts on tenant screening services. Click here to find out more.
• Landlord Training Seminar Video
  Take a look at the most recent Landlord Training Seminar video.

The City of Lakewood discounted applicant screening service is now offered to all landlords within the city. The City has partnered with CoreLogic SafeRent to offer a full line of resident screening services utilizing SafeRent’s vast databases of landlord-tenant and criminal records. CoreLogic SafeRent is a comprehensive suite of screening services designed especially for the smaller landlord. SafeRent DIRECT includes the same vital leasing-decision services used by the nation’s largest real estate investment companies and property managers, including the only statistically validated tenant score.

For more on SafeRent’s services, click here for their brochure.

Landlords who use SafeRent to screen applicants under this program satisfy one of the three requirements for obtaining a housing license under Ord. 55-10, which became effective in May 2011.

How the Program Works

Lakewood landlords who use SafeRent’s online screening services will receive a substantial discount on packages offered by SafeRent. The discount code is for use only by landlords who own property in Lakewood, and the code must be kept confidential.

Discounts are available only on screening packages ordered online through https://www.myrental.com/.   All you need is the code we provide you in order to receive the discount. View the instructions on using the code by visiting by clicking here.

Fill out the form here:

ALL HOUSING LICENSES ARE DUE ON NOVEMBER 1.

Click here for information about renewing your housing license in 2020.

Click here to go to our CitizenServe portal to apply for your housing license.

Other important Details about the Lakewood Housing License Application

• Non-owner Occupied Condominium: The fee for non-owner occupied condominium units is now $45.00 per unit.
• Owner Occupied Condominiums & Condominium Buildings: There is no longer a fee for owner occupied condominium units or for condominium buildings.
• Late Fees: Owners not securing a Housing license by November 1 will be assessed a late fee of twenty-five ($25.00) per unit.
• Housing License fees are not pro-rated.
• The Housing License Portal for the upcoming year opens August 1. 
• Housing License fees are:

We encourage you to reach out to our department at (216) 529-6270 or housing.building@lakewoodoh.net if we can help answer any questions about the housing license application process moving forward.

Thank you for your continued commitment to and investment in the Lakewood community

Click here to go to our CitizenServe portal to apply for your housing license.

Rental Property List

Click here to fill out the 2020 Non-Renewal of Housing License Form.

Click here to view the Landlord Housing Voucher Survey results.