How to report unsafe living conditions
Report unsafe or unlivable conditions to Columbus 311, online or at (614) 645-3111. That covers no heat, no water, sewage backups, mold, structural damage, and pest infestations. If anyone is in immediate danger, from a gas leak, carbon monoxide, or fire risk, call 911 first.
The full path
Danger now means 911, not 311
Gas smell, carbon monoxide alarm, sparking wires, fire, or a collapse risk are 911 calls. Everything below is for conditions that are serious but not an emergency this minute.
Know what counts
No heat in winter. No running water or hot water. Sewage backing up. Mold that keeps coming back. Electrical hazards. Broken locks or doors. Infestations. These are habitability problems the city inspects and orders fixed.
File with 311
File with Columbus 311 online, in the app, or at (614) 645-3111. Say which rooms are affected, how long it has lasted, and who lives there. Mention children, elderly residents, or anyone medically vulnerable. Inspectors prioritize those cases.
If you rent, loop in the landlord in writing
Report the condition to your landlord in writing as well and keep a copy. The report to the city and the notice to the landlord do different jobs, and you want both on record.
Renting and stonewalled? Read how to report your apartment complex.
Check what is on record at the address
A history of the same problem strengthens your report. Search the address and mention prior reports when you file.
Free · no account · opens the live map's Block Report for the address
Common questions
How do I report an unlivable house in Columbus?
File with Columbus 311 online, in the app, or at (614) 645-3111. Describe the conditions room by room. If the house is vacant and open, say that too. The city inspects and can order repairs or secure the structure.
What counts as uninhabitable in Ohio?
There is no single checklist, but the core failures are heat, running water, sanitation, and structural safety. Code enforcement treats those as habitability problems in any occupied rental.
Can I withhold rent while something is broken?
Not on your own. Ohio has a rent escrow process through the court that starts after written notice to the landlord. Get advice first. The Legal Aid Society of Columbus is at (614) 241-2001.
How do I report unhealthy living conditions for someone else?
File with 311 the same way and say what you have seen. You do not need to live there. Reports from family, neighbors, and caseworkers are routine.
Keep going
Looking at a specific address?
Get the full Block Report, covering what's been reported at that exact address, the same building, and chronic neighbors within a third of a mile.
Search an address →Contacts on this page were verified July 2026. City intake numbers and portals change rarely but they do change. If something here is out of date, the front door is always Columbus 311.
Know Your Block is an independent public-information project, not the City of Columbus and not a law firm. Nothing on this page is legal advice. Report counts come from official City of Columbus code-enforcement records and describe reports filed, not verified conditions.