Can I stop paying rent until it is fixed?

Key takeaways

• Write the request. Date it. Keep a copy.
• Habitability is the floor; the remedy is state-specific.
• Do not skip rent on a national rumor.

Do this today

1. Write the problem, the date you noticed it, and how you told the landlord.
2. Photograph the condition with a clock or dated screenshot.
3. Ask legal aid before withholding rent.

What this page is not

• Not a national repair-timeline chart.
• Not permission to withhold rent.
• Not legal advice.

Confirm it locally

Caps, clocks, and entry hours live in your state chapter. Search below, or take the paper to legal aid if a court is named.

Terms on this page

Escrow

People also ask

• Does the request have to be in writing?
• What if my landlord says the damage is my fault?
• Can I call the city if I am worried about retaliation?
• How long does a landlord have to make a repair?
• Is the repair process the same in every state?
• Where do I confirm the repair rule for my address?

Official sources

• LawHelp.orgFree legal aid by state. Start here for court papers.
• HUD tenant rightsFederal floor and state HUD pages.
• Cornell LII landlord-tenant tableIndex of official state chapters. We name the chapter; we do not paraphrase a number out of it.
• 211Local rent, shelter, food, and utilities, in many languages.