North Carolina rental repairs

Do this today

• Put the repair request in writing. Date it. Keep a copy.
• Photograph the condition, including anything that is unsafe — no heat, no water, mold, pests, broken locks.
• Do not withhold rent until you have confirmed that North Carolina allows a process for it.
• Ask the city housing or health department whether they take condition complaints.

What should I put in writing?

What is broken, since when, how it affects living in the unit, and that you are asking for repair. Send it in a way you can prove. North Carolina landlord and tenant chapter may require written notice before other remedies exist. A text can help; a dated letter you can produce later is stronger.

Can I withhold rent in ${n}?

Sometimes a state has a lawful process for withholding, escrow, or repair-and-deduct. Sometimes skipping rent is itself grounds for eviction. That split is why this site will not tell you to withhold. Confirm North Carolina landlord and tenant chapter or ask legal aid in North Carolina first.

The North Carolina chapter

North Carolina landlord and tenant chapter (N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-1 to 42-76) is the starting point. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.

North Carolina state law is the floor. Cities may add rent boards, just-cause rules, or extra protected classes. Confirm locally.

Official sources

Common questions

People also ask

• Can I stop paying rent until it is fixed?
• 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?