Chapter 5313 | Land Installment Contracts

Section 5313.01 | Land installment contract definitions.

• Effective: October 6, 1980
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 312 - 113th General Assembly

As used in Chapter 5313. of the Revised Code:

(A) "Land installment contract" means an executory agreement which by its terms is not required to be fully performed by one or more of the parties to the agreement within one year of the date of the agreement and under which the vendor agrees to convey title in real property located in this state to the vendee and the vendee agrees to pay the purchase price in installment payments, while the vendor retains title to the property as security for the vendee's obligation. Option contracts for the purchase of real property are not land installment contracts.

(B) "Property" means real property located in this state improved by virtue of a dwelling having been erected on the real property.

(C) "Vendor" means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, trust, or any other group of individuals however organized making a sale of property by means of a land installment contract.

(D) "Vendee" means the person who acquires an interest in property pursuant to a land installment contract, or any legal successor in interest to that person.

(E) "Legal description" means a description of the property by metes and bounds or lot numbers of a recorded plat including a description of any portion of the property subject to an easement or reservation, if any.

Section 5313.02 | Required provisions of land installment contracts.

• Effective: March 19, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 473, House Bill 95 - 119th General Assembly

(A) Every land installment contract shall be executed in duplicate, and a copy of the contract shall be provided to the vendor and the vendee. The contract shall contain at least the following provisions:

(1) The full names and then current mailing addresses of all the parties to the contract;

(2) The date when the contract was signed by each party;

(3) A legal description of the property conveyed;

(4) The contract price of the property conveyed;

(5) Any charges or fees for services that are includable in the contract separate from the contract price;

(6) The amount of the vendee's down payment;

(7) The principal balance owed, which is the sum of the specified in divisions (A)(4) and (5) of this section less the specified in division (A)(6) of this section;

(8) The amount and due date of each installment payment;

(9) The interest rate on the unpaid balance and the method of computing the rate;

(10) A statement of any encumbrances against the property conveyed;

(11) A statement requiring the vendor to deliver a general warranty deed on completion of the contract, or another deed that is available when the vendor is legally unable to deliver a general warranty deed;

(12) A provision that the vendor provide evidence of title in accordance with the prevailing custom in the area in which the property is located;

(13) A provision that, if the vendor defaults on any mortgage on the property, the vendee can pay on the mortgage and receive credit on the land installment contract;

(14) A provision that the vendor shall cause a copy of the contract to be recorded;

(15) A requirement that the vendee be responsible for the payment of taxes, assessments, and other charges against the property from the date of the contract, unless agreed to the contrary;

(16) A statement of any pending order of any public agency against the property.

(B) No vendor shall hold a mortgage on property sold by a land installment contract in an amount greater than the balance due under the contract, except a mortgage that covers real property in addition to the property that is the subject of the contract where the vendor has made written disclosure to the vendee of the amount of the mortgage and the release price, if any, attributable to the property in question.

No vendor shall place a mortgage on the property in an amount greater than the balance due on the contract without the consent of the vendee.

(C) Within twenty days after a land installment contract has been signed by both the vendor and the vendee, the vendor shall cause a copy of the contract to be recorded as provided in section 5301.25 of the Revised Code and a copy of the contract to be delivered to the county auditor.

(D) Every land installment contract shall conform to the formalities required by law for the execution of deeds and mortgages. The vendor of any land installment contract that contains a metes and bounds legal description shall have that description reviewed by the county engineer. The county engineer shall indicate his approval of the description on the contract.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Section 5313.03 | Biannual statements furnished to vendee.

• Effective: November 25, 1969
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 108th General Assembly

Every vendor under a land installment contract shall, at least once a year or on demand of the vendee, but no more than twice a year, furnish a statement to the vendee showing the following:

(A) The amount credited to principal and interest;

(B) The balance due.

A land contract passbook issued by the vendor or a financial institution shall be sufficient compliance with this section.

Section 5313.04 | Vendee to enforce chapter provisions.

• Effective: November 25, 1969
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 108th General Assembly

Upon the failure of any vendor to comply with Chapter 5313. of the Revised Code, the vendee may enforce such provisions in a municipal court, county court, or court of common pleas. Upon the determination of the court that the vendor has failed to comply with these provisions, the court shall grant appropriate relief.

Section 5313.05 | Default of vendee.

• Effective: November 25, 1969
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 108th General Assembly

When the vendee of a land installment contract defaults in payment, forfeiture of the interest of the vendee under the contract may be enforced only after the expiration of thirty days from the date of the default. A vendee in default may, prior to the expiration of the thirty-day period, avoid the forfeiture of his interest under the contract by making all payments currently due under the contract and by paying any fees or charges for which he is liable under the contract. If such payments are made within the thirty-day period, forfeiture of the interest of the vendee shall not be enforced.

Section 5313.06 | Notice of forfeiture.

• Effective: April 1, 1986
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 344 - 116th General Assembly

Following expiration of the period of time provided in section 5313.05 of the Revised Code, forfeiture of the interest of a vendee in default under a land installment contract shall be initiated by the vendor or by his successor in interest, by serving or causing to be served on the vendee or his successor in interest, if known to the vendor or his successor in interest, a written notice which:

(A) Reasonably identifies the contract and describes the property covered by it;

(B) Specifies the terms and conditions of the contract which have not been complied with;

(C) Notifies the vendee that the contract will stand forfeited unless the vendee performs the terms and conditions of the contract within ten days of the completed service of notice and notifies the vendee to leave the premises.

Such notice shall be served by the vendor or his successor in interest by handing a written copy of the notice to the vendee or his successor in interest in person, or by leaving it at his usual place of abode or at the property which is the subject of the contract or by registered or certified mail by mailing to the last known address of the vendee or his successor in interest.

Section 5313.07 | Proceeding for foreclosure and judicial sale.

• Effective: November 25, 1969
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 108th General Assembly

If the vendee of a land installment contract has paid in accordance with the terms of the contract for a period of five years or more from the date of the first payment or has paid toward the purchase price a total sum equal to or in excess of twenty per cent thereof, the vendor may recover possession of his property only by use of a proceeding for foreclosure and judicial sale of the foreclosed property as provided in section 2323.07 of the Revised Code. Such action may be commenced after expiration of the period of time prescribed by sections 5313.05 and 5313.06 of the Revised Code. In such an action, as between the vendor and vendee, the vendor shall be entitled to proceeds of the sale up to and including the unpaid balance due on the land installment contract.

Chapter 5313. of the Revised Code does not prevent the vendor or vendee of a land installment contract from commencing a quiet title action to establish the validity of his claim to the property conveyed under a land installment contract nor from bringing an action for unpaid installments.

Chapter 5313. of the Revised Code does not prevent the vendor and vendee from cancelling their interest in a land installment contract under section 5301.331 of the Revised Code.

Section 5313.08 | Action for forfeiture and restitution.

• Effective: October 6, 1980
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 312 - 113th General Assembly

If the contract has been in effect for less than five years, in addition to any other remedies provided by law and after the expiration of the periods prescribed by sections 5313.05 and 5313.06 of the Revised Code, if the vendee is still in default of any payment the vendor may bring an action for forfeiture of the vendee's rights in the land installment contract and for restitution of his property under Chapter 1923. of the Revised Code. When bringing the action under Chapter 1923. of the Revised Code, the vendor complies with the notice requirement of division (A) of section 1923.04 of the Revised Code by serving notice pursuant to section 5313.06 of the Revised Code. The court may also grant any other claim arising out of the contract.

Section 5313.09 | Instrument of cancellation of land contract.

• Effective: November 25, 1969
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 108th General Assembly

(A) A judgment for the vendor shall operate to cancel the land installment contract as of a date to be specified by the court. The clerk of the county or municipal court in which such judgment is rendered shall transmit an authenticated copy of such dated judgment to the county recorder of the county in which the property is located.

The county recorder of such county shall record such authenticated judgment as an instrument of cancellation under section 5301.331 of the Revised Code.

Section 5313.10 | Terminating land installment contract is exclusive remedy.

• Effective: November 25, 1969
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 108th General Assembly

The election of the vendor to terminate the land installment contract by an action under section 5313.07 or 5313.08 of the Revised Code is an exclusive remedy which bars further action on the contract unless the vendee has paid an amount less than the fair rental value plus deterioration or destruction of the property occasioned by the vendee's use. In such case the vendor may recover the difference between the amount paid by the vendee on the contract and the fair rental value of the property plus an amount for the deterioration or destruction of the property occasioned by the vendee's use.