How to Resolve Housing Conditions When your Landlord is Unresponsive- By State

Dealing with a substandard housing issue can be frustrating and even hazardous. As a tenant, you have a right to live in a safe, healthy home free of health hazards and environmental risks.

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Some examples of common housing complaints:

  • leaking ceiling

  • rodent infestation

  • insect infestation

  • bed bugs

  • mold & mildew

  • heating

Communicating with your landlord about the issues is the very first step. When the property owner fails to address your concerns, contact your local regulatory agency to get your home to livable conditions,

In most US states, your local health department or municipality can assist renters with a housing complaint. Typically, once a complaint is filed, a letter will be sent to the landlord or property owner providing a time period to complete repairs and address issues (normally 30 days). The housing code from your health department or municipality will be used as regulatory guidance by a health inspector.

An inspector will be sent to the residence to inspect the home and document any violations present. Once violations have been identified a notice will be sent to the property owner and they will be given a deadline to address the violations and bring the home up to code. This is one of the best and fastest ways to address housing violations and enforce compliance from your landlord. In the event that your landlord does not remedy the housing violations by the deadline given, legal action may be sought.

Filing a complaint with the health department or code enforcement department is simple. The process begins by calling or submitting a form online. You and the landlord will be sent a letter through the mail about your complaint and a deadline will be given. Once the deadline has passed, you will be contacted about scheduling an inspection. This process will vary by state and county.

Below is a list of links to file a housing code complaint.

Housing code enforcement by state and jurisdiction (major cities):

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