Kits for That

Repair Demand Letters, a $19 kit

Ask your landlord for repairs in writing, with a deadline

In nearly every state, the law requires your landlord to fix serious problems like no heat, leaks, mold, pests and broken locks. Answer eight questions and you get a formal repair request, a follow-up that cites your habitability rights, and a final notice that comes before code enforcement and legal remedies.

For renters waiting on repairs

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Self-help templates and general information, not legal advice.

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Your letters

You supply the facts and these templates put them in order. Read every line before you send or sign anything, and check that the deadlines and rules still match your state’s current law. These documents are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.

Tip: Save or print each document as a PDF before you start another. You can change the details and generate the kit again as often as you need.

Letter 1: formal repair request

Send now. Written notice starts the legal clock.

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The written request puts the problem on record. Letters 2 and 3 are for landlords who let the deadline pass.

  • Letter 2: a firm follow-up that cites the implied warranty of habitability and your state’s repair rules
  • Letter 3: a final notice before code enforcement, rent remedies and small claims
  • Your state’s repair deadline rules and which remedies are legal where you live
  • A checklist of the evidence to gather for a habitability dispute
  • What your landlord can’t legally do to you after you complain
  • A warning on withholding rent, which can lead to eviction if done the wrong way
  • Print or save as PDF, edit as often as you like, and use it on any of your own devices

Written by John Detty, 22 years a U.S. Navy Legalman. About the site

$19

One-time payment for Letters 2 and 3 and the guide.

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Self-help templates and general information. Not legal advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Terms

Letter 2: habitability follow-up

Send if nothing happens by the deadline in Letter 1
Unlock to see the full follow-up letter.

Letter 3: final notice before remedies

By certified mail, before code enforcement or court
Unlock to see the final notice letter.

Your guide: deadlines, remedies and common traps

Read before sending Letter 2
Included in the $19 kit.

About these documents

Made with Kits For That self-help templates (IdaMil LLC, kitsforthat.com) from the details you entered. Kits For That is not a law firm. These documents are not legal advice and are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Laws change, so confirm the current rules for your state before you rely on them. Keep this page for your records. It is not part of what you send.

How to get your landlord to make repairs

In nearly every state, your landlord has a legal duty, called the implied warranty of habitability, to keep the rental safe and livable. That means working heat, plumbing, hot water and electricity, a sound structure, and no infestations. Calls and texts are easy to brush off. A dated written request with a deadline is harder to ignore. In most states the repair deadline runs from written notice, and the letter builds the paper trail every remedy depends on.

  1. Ask for repairs in writing. Describe the problem, say when you reported it, and give a specific deadline. Keep a copy and proof of delivery, because code inspectors, judges and your own remedies all rely on that record.
  2. Point to your state’s rule. Most states set a repair window after written notice (commonly 14–30 days, and far less for emergencies like no heat or sewage). The follow-up letter cites your state’s rule and shows that you know your remedies.
  3. Escalate within the law. If the repair still isn’t made, ask for a code enforcement inspection (free, and it creates an official record). After that, depending on your state, your options may include repair-and-deduct, rent escrow, ending the lease, or small claims for the reduced value of the unit. The guide in the kit covers which of these are legal where you live, because using the wrong one can get you evicted.

Can I just stop paying rent?

Usually not safely, and in some states not at all. Withholding rent the wrong way is how some tenants with a good repair case end up losing an eviction case. Several states require you to keep rent current, or pay it into a court escrow, before you can use repair remedies. The kit’s guide is direct about this. The letters press for repairs without putting your tenancy at risk.

Protection from retaliation

Most states prohibit retaliation, such as rent hikes, eviction notices or cuts in service, after you request repairs or call code enforcement. Many presume retaliation if it happens within a set window (commonly 6–12 months). Your dated paper trail is what lets you prove the timing and use that protection.

Emergencies come first. No heat in winter, a gas smell or a sewage backup calls for a phone call before a letter. Call the landlord’s emergency line, then the gas company or the code enforcement hotline right away. Send Letter 1 the same day to put it on record.

Repair Demand Letters provides self-help document templates and general information. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Kits For That is not a law firm. Landlord-tenant law varies a great deal by state and city and changes over time, so check your state’s current rules before you rely on any remedy. If you are facing eviction, get local legal help right away (many areas have free tenant legal aid).

Who writes these. Kits For That is run by John R. Detty, who served 22 years as a U.S. Navy Legalman, the Navy’s paralegal rating, before retiring. He is not a lawyer, and nothing on this site is legal advice. About the site