One of the main apartment problems people run into is a landlord who refuses or is reluctant to spend money on repairs. When it comes to basic essential damages, you are almost always entitled to free apartment repair from your landlord. These kinds of repairs include things like heat, plumbing, roof repairs and any security issues like broken doors, windows or locks. Cities and states usually have statutes on the books protecting tenants from the kind of apartment problem that might endanger their safety. If your landlord refuses to remedy one of these kinds of issues you should immediately contact a local or national tenant advocacy organization for advice.

Unfortunately, not all apartment repairs are covered under building rental codes. For instance, if you have a major appliance like a dishwasher or washing machine that was not there when you moved in, you're unlikely to be entitled to repairs. Even if one of these kinds of appliances was provided as part of the lease, you may have to pay for repairs yourself if the maintenance of appliance wasn't mentioned specifically in your rental agreement. That doesn't mean you shouldn't research local law though--- some states have odd specific codes that can occasionally come in handy. For instance, your state may not assure that a stand-alone washing machine will be covered, but that a washer-dryer combo will. It's always best to put in the research and find out.

In some cases people have to sue their landlords to ensure that their apartment's problems are taken care of. This could be a more major lawsuit seeking higher damages or more expensive repairs like a new roof or floor, or it could be a Small Claims Court case. In either case, the first step is proving that you have approached your landlord and been ignored. Write an apartment repair letter specifically stating your grievances and have it notarized and sent to the landlord or property management company.

Another option in some states is to pay for the repairs yourself and deduct the money from your rent check. If a tenant has unsuccessfully contacted his or her landlord and the repair is one of the essential repairs covered under state or city law, they are sometimes able to act independently. Always make sure that this is the law in your state before you act.