My landlord is not fixing things. What do I do?
Page last updated: September 2, 2026 · How we source & update
Put the request in writing, dated, with photos — today. Most states require written notice before any tenant remedy is available, and almost every dispute turns on whether you can prove you asked and when. Then escalate in order: a second written notice, a code-enforcement inspection, and free legal aid. Do not withhold rent or repair-and-deduct until you have checked your state’s exact procedure: several states do not allow withholding at all, and getting the procedure wrong turns a repair problem into an eviction for nonpayment.
First step, today: Send the written request today, with dated photos, by the method your lease names. Almost every remedy that exists later requires proof that you asked and when.
Where this comes from: This is general national framing. The deadlines, dollar limits and remedies that decide your case are set by your state, city, lease and housing type — your state page carries the sourced rule with its official citation and its review status. This wording has not been attorney-reviewed.
Scope: United States, all states. This page is legal information, not legal advice, and it has not been reviewed by a licensed attorney. Specific deadlines, dollar limits and remedies are set by your state, city, lease and housing type — this page deliberately gives none; your state page does.
Escalate in this order
Each step creates the record the next one needs.
- Written request, dated, with photos. Use the method your lease specifies (portal, email, address). Keep a copy. This starts every clock that exists in your state.
- Second written notice after a reasonable time, referencing the first. Say plainly what is broken, when you asked, and that you are requesting repair.
- Code enforcement or housing inspection. A city or county inspector’s report is independent evidence and, in many places, triggers the landlord’s legal duty directly.
- Free legal aid. Before using any self-help remedy, ask legal aid which remedies exist in your state and what the prerequisites are.
- Only then, a statutory remedy — rent escrow, repair-and-deduct, or withholding — and only if your state provides it and you have met its conditions exactly. See can I withhold rent? and repair and deduct.
Emergency conditions change the order
- No heat in cold weather, no water, no working toilet, gas smell, exposed wiring, sewage, or a security failure like a broken exterior lock: these are treated as emergencies in most states, with shorter timelines and sometimes immediate remedies. Call the landlord AND put it in writing AND call code enforcement the same day.
- Mold, pests or a leak are usually not “emergency” in the statutory sense but still follow the written-notice path.
- If the condition endangers you, leaving temporarily may be reasonable — but check with legal aid before treating it as a lease termination.
What to gather before you act
- Dated photos and video of the problem, before anything changes.
- Your written requests and the delivery method used.
- Any landlord reply, or the absence of one, noted by date.
- Inspection reports, if any.
- Proof you are current on rent — most tenant remedies require it.
When this is urgent
Why your state decides the details
How long a landlord has to respond, whether you may withhold or deduct, what notice is required and what counts as an emergency are all state rules. Do not act on a remedy until you have read your state page.
Free help
Call 211 for local referrals, find free legal aid at lawhelp.org, or read how free legal help for renters works.
Change log
September 2, 2026 — page created (RS-WEB-ORGANIC-ENDGAME-005). Held for legal review before search promotion; not attorney-reviewed.
See where you are in the process
Repair escalation: what to do, in what order — a stage map with no deadlines, showing what each stage means and what to do at it. All five decision guides.
Accuracy, and the limits of this page. Renter Shield provides legal information, not legal advice. It is not a law firm, no attorney-client relationship is created by using it, and this page has not been reviewed by a licensed attorney.
This page deliberately contains no deadlines, no dollar limits and no state-specific rules, because those vary by state, city, housing type, lease and timing, and a national page cannot state them correctly for everyone. Where a number matters, the page routes you to your state page, which carries the rule we have sourced along with its official citation and its review status.
Laws change, sources move, and errors are possible. Renter Shield makes no warranty that the information here is accurate, complete or current, and disclaims liability for actions taken in reliance on it to the fullest extent permitted by law. Confirm anything that matters with a licensed attorney or a free legal-aid provider before you act. Free help: 211 · lawhelp.org · how free legal help works.
Found something wrong? Tell us — we log every correction with the date it was resolved. Published under owner risk acceptance dated 2026-09-03; see our review policy.