Sorry guys, I don’t like making these threads and you probably don’t like to see them either; but I am in a bit of a legal conundrum and am seeking any advice or help that anyone can offer me.  Any help at all is greatly appreciated. 

I recently (29 days ago) moved from my nice, old apartment into a rundown house with 4 of my friends.  I never got a chance to see the place before I signed the lease, (mistake #1), but it didn’t really matter because I was out of options and I was out of money. 

So I moved here.  This place is a dump (as I expected) but the rent is affordable (far lower than it was at the last place, which wasn’t exactly in “great” shape either).  But anyways, here’s the problem; our landlord has, thus far, broken Ohio state law 3 times (didn’t give us 24 hour notice, sometimes there was no notice at all, before showing up and walking in the front door – there was a court case in this city about 8 years ago that upheld this right and the fact that you can’t sign it away as part of the lease), also, there are multiple items in this place that are questionable if they passed code or not (most noteworthy - a heater that if left on for more than 15 seconds begins to turn the metal RED hot –bear in mind there is not central heating/AC so this is the source of our warmth in the winter), and, he has 4 more days to fix the list of things we requested to be fixed 26 days ago or another state law will be broken.  Also, he’s starting a trend of sending maintenance to the house every few 2 or 3 days, and they show up, and do nothing except walk around (I haven’t been here to witness it but I hear the same story from all my room mates).  So I’m not sure if this violates the “right to privacy” / not harassing the tenants with unnecessary and repeated entry, another state law. 

Normally I’d live with this, and just kinda deal with it and pester him until the stuff was fixed.  But I have a cat, and I’m not sure if cats are allowed.  I remember asking when signing the lease if pets were allowed and he said no, but I don’t remember there being any section in the lease that stated this in writing (hence why I asked him).  However, I can’t find my copy of the lease, among a couple of other things that seemed to have gotten lost in the process of moving, so I can’t go see for sure.  Also, according to my roommates, while I was off at work, the maintance men showed up (no notice) and tossed my cat out the front door (thankfully she came back 12 hours later). 

Now I have access to 3 attorneys thanks to working for the university.  But I’d hate to waste their time (as well as mine) if there is nothing that I can do because of lack of evidence for the violations except the eye witnesses, who are all my room mates and myself, so I don’t know if we’ll be “credible” witnesses (there are only 2 piece of written evidence, an email that was sent mere hours before his arrival as well as the maintenance request paper we filled out, but so far that hasn’t broken a law).  Also, even if we are able to take him to court, would we get any benefit out of it?  From reading the laws (legal jargon always confuses me) it seems like we can terminate our lease, but then we’d have no where to live, and really be up craps-creek without a paddle.  Plus the fact that I have a potentially illegal cat in the house doesn’t help my case. 

Any suggestions as to what I can do or should do?    I’m really not enjoying this situation at all, and it’s going to require me to request time off work to meet with the attorneys.

I think what PP meant was, What do you wish to accomplish with this landlord and the issues you face?

Also, none of your other roommates have a copy of the lease for you to see, either?

Ya, I didn’t word that very well at all.  What I want to accomplish is:

A) Get this stuff fixed
B) Not have the maintence guys here everyday, doing whatever it is that they’re doing (more like what they’re not doing).  Which really goes along with goal-A.  I admit, I do have more than a little bit of disdain for the maintenance guys after they tossed my cat out.  Seriously?  Who does that?  Even if the cat isn’t supposed to be here, that is not the way you handle the situation. 
C) If I have to hold up my end of the lease and do what the law requires me to do, than HE has to hold up his end and do what the law requires him to do to as well.  It’s a two way street.

And the biggest:
D) Seek any kind of financial compensation possible for the unlawful activity (reduced/refund part of the rent that we’ve paid).

Sadly enough I don’t live with the brightest guys.  I asked if anyone had a copy of the lease for me to look at, 2 of them said they had no idea where they put it or if they even kept a copy at all (It’s their first time leasing, so I’ll chalk it up their n00bness).  The 3^rd guy said he has a copy, but he’s more than ‘a little disorganized’ and so far hasn’t been able to find it amongst all of his stuff.  (Just a quick peak into his room and you’d know exactly what I’m talking about.)  I have gone into his room while he was gone at work to hunt for it, and so far haven’t found it (not to mention I really don’t like doing that).

I just can’t win, story of my life.