Smith v. Padgett

The parties and the courts below have recognized that this case requires the resolution of two distinct issues: (1) whether a lessee is competent to testify as to his or her opinion of the rental value of the leased premises, absent a showing of specialized knowledge of rental values in general; and (2) whether a landlord who wrongfully withholds a portion of a tenant’s security deposit is thereby rendered liable for double damages and reasonable attorney fees under R.C. 5321.16(C), where the landlord timely furnishes the tenant with an itemized list of deductions from the deposit pursuant to…