By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - A landlord who faced the first suspension of a rental license here because of "unruly tenants'' may get a second chance.

City staff is recommending that Covington City Commission approve a settlement tonightin the case involving Daniel and Tina Sheridan. After a hearing before city commissioners in October, the Burlington couple was the first to face suspension of a residential rental property license under a 20-year-old Covington law.

However, the couple has since agreed to abide by three pages of conditions, including evicting problem tenants and responding within 24 hours to any city complaints of criminal activity or other problems at the five-unit apartment building they own on Covington's Eastside.

"I think the Sheridans got (the City Commission's) message loud and clear,'' Covington City Solicitor Jay Fossett said Monday. "We're not trying to take away their livelihood. We're just trying to correct a bad situation.''

From September 2001 through September 2002, Covington police responded to more than 60 complaints - of everything from drug activity and prostitution to domestic violence calls - at the apartment building at 1414 Greenup St., according to evidence presented at the Oct. 15 hearing.

The City Commission scheduled the hearing after the Sheridans failed to respond to two certified letters, city officials said.

Mr. Sheridan, who was not represented by an attorney at the hearing, told city commissioners he "could improve (his) landlording skills,'' but he added he was shocked to learn his property had one of the highest call rates in Covington.

Mr. Sheridan told city commissioners in October that a revocation of his rental license would unfairly penalize him for the behavior of his tenants.

However, commissioners were not sympathetic, saying landlords must be accountable for their tenants' behavior.

Under terms of the proposed settlement, the Sheridans agreed to evict the tenants of two apartments and put language in future leases that specifically prohibited a broad range of criminal activity. Tenants who fail to comply with the terms will be evicted.

The Sheridans also agreed to meet quarterly with City Code Enforcement Director Mildred Rains for at least the next year "to review any criminal activity or other nuisances occurring at subject property ... (and) take immediate action to abate any nuisances that are brought to their attention by the city.''

Any failure to comply with the settlement terms could subject the couple to the suspension of their residential rental property license and possible court action.

Mr. Fossett said city officials wanted to solve the problem, but didn't want to leave the tenants who weren't doing anything wrong without a home.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com