Opinion ID: 4539980
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Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Right to Receive Rental Payments

Text: {¶ 12} The parties all agree that absent a reservation in the deed conveying the property, the right to receive rents runs with the land. We agree with this statement of law. {¶ 13} Under the common law of this state, a covenant to pay rent ran with the land. Smith v. Harrison, 42 Ohio St. 180, 185 (1884). This meant that the right to receive rents and profits would ordinarily follow the legal title. Commercial Bank & Savs. Co. v. Woodville Savs. Bank Co., 126 Ohio St. 587, 186 N.E. 444 (1933), paragraph one of the syllabus. One exception to that general rule occurred when the grantor included a specific provision reserving the right to receive rental payments in the deed conveying the subject property. See Liberal S. & L. Co. v. Frankel Realty Co., 137 Ohio St. 489, 501, 20 N.E.2d 1012 (1940). {¶ 14} The General Assembly codified these common-law rules in R.C. 5302.04. That statute provides that “[i]n a conveyance of real estate or any interest therein, all rights, easements, privileges, and appurtenances belonging to the granted estate shall be included in the conveyance, unless the contrary is stated in the deed   .” R.C. 5302.04. {¶ 15} Against this backdrop, we hold that the right to receive rents runs with the land and follows the legal title unless it is reserved by the grantor in the deed conveying the property. 4 January Term, 2020