Tenant Resource Guide
Maintenance and Repairs
215 articles9 sections10 state guides
Requesting repairs
- How to Report Maintenance Issues to Your LandlordStart here Put the repair request in writing, send it where your lease says notices go, keep proof it arrived, and escalate in order if your landlord misses the legal deadline.
- How Long Does Your Landlord Have to Make Repairs? It depends on your state: 24 hours to 10 days in Washington, 7 days in Texas and Florida, 14 days in Chicago, and a presumed 30 days in California, after notice.
Who fixes what
- When Appliances Break: Repair Responsibilities in Rentals If your landlord supplied the appliance, the landlord usually repairs or replaces it unless you caused the damage. State law and your lease set the deadline.
- Electrical Issues in Rental Housing: Safety and Reporting Your landlord must repair wiring, outlets, switches, and the panel. Sparks, burning smells, and warm outlets are urgent; you can reset a breaker or GFCI yourself.
- HVAC Maintenance: Tenant and Landlord Responsibilities Landlords must keep the heat working, but air conditioning is usually required only if the lease or a local law says so. Tenants handle filters, vents, and settings.
- Wall Damage and Painting: Tenant vs. Landlord Responsibility Landlords cover paint and walls worn by normal use; you pay for big holes or unapproved colors. NYC requires repainting every 3 years, and paint age limits charges.
- Dealing With Plumbing Issues in Your Rental Landlords must fix leaks, broken toilets, lost hot water, and sewer backups. You pay for clogs and damage you cause, including frozen pipes from your own neglect.
- Maintenance Tasks That Are Your Responsibility as a Tenant Tenants must keep the unit clean, dispose of garbage, use fixtures properly, and pay for damage they or guests cause. A lease can add chores like batteries and clogs.
- Window and Screen Repairs: Who Pays? You pay for window or screen damage you, a guest, or a pet cause. Payment for age-related repairs depends on housing rules and enforceable lease terms.
- Who Is Responsible for Yard Work and Snow Removal in a Rental? Your lease decides. A house lease can make mowing and shoveling yours, but landlords keep shared areas, dangerous trees, drainage, and structural repairs.
Emergencies
- Emergency Repairs: What Qualifies and What to Do Gas leaks, no heat in cold weather, no water, sewage backups, flooding, power loss, and broken entry locks are emergencies. Get safe first, then call your landlord.
- Locked Out of Your Rental: What to Do Locked yourself out? Call the landlord or a locksmith and bring proof you live there. If the landlord changed the locks to force you out, it is illegal; call the police.
- Water Damage in Your Rental: Steps to Take Stop the water, photograph the damage, and notify your landlord in writing.
Health and safety
- Fire Safety in Your Rental: Requirements and Preparations Beyond smoke alarms, a rental needs clear exits and maintained fire escapes. If a fire you did not cause makes it unlivable, several states let you end the lease.
- Pest Control in Rentals: Who Pays? Landlords usually pay to treat roaches, mice, and ants found at move-in or in apartment buildings. You pay for infestations you cause, and house leases can differ.
- Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Rentals: Who Is Responsible? Landlords install smoke and CO alarms that must work at move-in. In Illinois, Washington, and NYC you test them and change batteries; in California, landlords do.
State-specific rules
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