You may think that going to your landlord about repairs is a waste of time because they never do anything, but it turns out that there are actually legal requirements for landlords to maintain the property. If you’re frustrated with the lack of response from your landlord and want them to take responsibility for maintaining their property, then this post will help!

Documenting Issues

The first step you should take is to document every issue on a checklist. This will help make sure that you have everything documented when you come back with the completed list in case something else comes up.

Beside each item, write down what was done about it. If nothing has been done or if there is more than one thing wrong at any given location. Then you will need to make an official request to your landlord to make repairs.

Making the Demand

In order to make an official request for repairs, you will need to have evidence of the issue and some form of documentation that proves where it is located. This can be in the form of photos or a written letter from Rentervention. The most important thing is that you let your landlord know what needs to happen first. 

Most repair demands involving giving the landlord the chance to fix the problem. If they don’t fix it, you have options like repairing it yourself and deducting it from your rent, withholding a portion of your rent, or ending your lease.

Illegal vs. Legal

You may be wondering, what is the distinction between illegal and legal? The difference is that an illegal violation will call for city or state involvement. A landlord can make you sign a contract agreeing to not do anything about some defects (illegal). The law says that landlords need to fix their property if it needs it. If they don’t, they may be breaking the law.

Using Rentervention

Tell our chatbot, Renny, that you need your landlord to make repairs! Renny can help you write a letter to demand your landlord make repairs or even connect you with a free lawyer who can help.

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