What To Expect From Your Landlord

A landlord must:

• Keep the dwelling and premises up to state and local housing codes
• Provide heat, electricity and hot and cold water
• Provide a means of getting rid of garbage, unless you agreed otherwise in your lease
• Provide keys, locks and window latches
• Keep insect infestations under control
• Make repairs to keep your place in the same condition as when you moved in
• Maintain any appliances in your apartment, unless you brought them with you or your lease says otherwise
• Provide smoke detectors as required under state law and make sure they're working properly when you move in.

Your Privacy

You have the right to your privacy, and there's no reason your landlord should barge in unannounced.

On the other hand, your landlord may sometimes need access to your apartment to:

• Make repairs
• Inspect it before you move out
• Show the place to prospective tenants.

In most states, a landlord must give at least 24 hours notice before entering a tenant's apartment, unless there's an emergency such as a plumbing gusher or kitchen fire.

If your landlord is making a habit of dropping in, tactfully clue him or her in on the law.

If that doesn't work, put the facts in writing and threaten to move out.

In some states, a landlord who unreasonably enters a tenant's apartment is guilty of criminal trespass.

Repairs

When something in your apartment needs repairing, give your landlord immediate written notice with a clear description of the problem, and keep a copy.

Most state laws require a landlord to begin making repairs within a specific period of time.

If your landlord doesn't respond within the allotted time period, and your rent is paid up, you may be able to:

• Move out if the problem is threatening to your health or safety
• Hire someone to make the repairs and deduct the cost from your rent
• Make the repairs yourself and deduct the cost of supplies and reasonable labor costs from your rent.

Your state and local laws detail how much you can spend on repairs and what procedures you have to follow to deduct the cost from your rent.

Be reasonable about repairs you make, however, as you'll likely be judged as to reasonableness at a later date.

In some states, you can withhold your rent if your landlord refuses to make certain repairs.

Take photos of the problem and collect any evidence that might be useful later, such as sewer water that has overflowed onto your floor, cockroaches and so forth.

Contact your local housing department for an inspection to see if your landlord is violating local housing or health codes. Code violations put extra pressure on your landlord to fix the problem quickly.

Your landlord cannot legally evict you in retaliation for your calling an inspector or insisting that repairs are made in a timely manner.

Guests and Neighbors

You're responsible for damage that any guests or roommates do to your apartment.

If you've got loud or obnoxious neighbors, try talking politely with them to make sure they realize they're bothering you. If that doesn't work, ask the police to chat with them.

If there's still a problem, discuss it with your landlord, and explain that you will be moving if the problem isn't resolved.

Enlist the help of other neighbors. Most landlords would rather evict one troublemaker than risk losing several good tenants.

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