Habitability checklist
Inspect your own home.
You do not have to wait for an official inspector to find out whether your home meets the law. Walk through it today, room by room, and write down what you find. We built this guide so you can do exactly that. We are a tenant rights firm. We only represent tenants, never landlords. This guide is for you.
Why we inspect
A clear record puts you in a stronger position.
When you can describe a problem clearly and show when it started, it helps you ask for repairs, it helps you ask for a rent reduction if your home was not fully livable, and it protects you if your landlord later says the problem was your fault or never happened. The goal is simple: see your home the way the law sees it, and keep proof.
What “habitable” means
“Habitable” is a legal word that means fit to live in. Under California Civil Code section 1941.1 and Health and Safety Code section 17920.3, your landlord has to keep your home in livable condition. In plain terms, a livable home has all of these:
- Heat that works
- Hot and cold running water under pressure, with hot water of at least 110°F
- Working plumbing — a working toilet, sink, and tub or shower
- Safe electrical wiring, outlets, and lighting
- Weatherproofing — a roof, walls, and windows that keep out rain and weather
- No dangerous mold from leaks or water damage
- No infestation of pests or vermin, such as cockroaches, rodents, or bedbugs
- Working door locks and window security
- A structurally sound building — floors, walls, stairs, and roof that are not failing
- Clean, sanitary shared areas, with proper trash storage and pickup
If your home is missing one or more of these, it may not be legally habitable. That does not always mean it is an emergency, but it does mean it is worth documenting.
Room by room
Go room by room. Write down what you see.
Bring your phone for photos and a notepad. For each item, look for two things: does it work and is it safe, and if something is wrong, did the landlord fail to keep it in repair. You do not need to be an expert. You only need to write down what you find.
Kitchen
- Run the cold and hot water at the sink. Hot water should get hot, not just warm. The law sets a floor of 110°F.
- Check under the sink for leaks, water stains, soft wood, or a musty smell.
- Make sure the sink drains and does not back up.
- Test the outlets near the counter — plug something in and confirm it powers on.
- Check that the light works.
- Test any appliance the landlord provided (stove, oven, refrigerator). A gas appliance that leaks gas or is not vented outside is a serious safety problem.
- Open cabinets and drawers. Look for water damage, mold, droppings, or signs of pests.
- Look along the baseboards, behind the stove, and under the sink for live cockroaches, droppings, or gnaw marks.
Bathrooms
- Run the sink, tub, and shower. Confirm hot and cold water and good pressure.
- Flush the toilet and watch that it fills and stops. Check the base for water leaking onto the floor.
- Check whether the toilet rocks, is cracked, or has a broken flushing part.
- Look for mold on walls, ceilings, and around the tub or shower, especially where there has been a leak.
- Confirm working ventilation — a fan that vents outside or a window that opens. Moisture plus poor ventilation leads to mold.
- Check the floor around the toilet and tub for soft spots or water damage.
Bedrooms and living areas
- Confirm every bedroom has a window that opens and can be a way out in a fire. Painted-shut or blocked windows are a safety problem.
- Check that windows close fully and keep out rain and weather. Look for broken or cracked glass.
- Test the smoke detector in or near each sleeping area, and the carbon monoxide detector if you have gas appliances or an attached garage.
- Test outlets and light switches. After you swap the bulb, a switch that still does nothing may point to a wiring problem.
- Look at walls, ceilings, and floors for holes, large cracks, water stains, or sagging.
- Confirm the front door and entry doors lock, close, and latch.
- Confirm heat that works and can warm each room. The LA County standard is heating that can reach at least 70°F measured three feet above the floor.
Hallways, laundry, and shared areas
- Walk the stairs. Check for loose, splintered, or missing steps, and loose or missing handrails and guardrails.
- Confirm hallways and entryways have working lights at night.
- Look for charged fire extinguishers and lit exit signs where the building requires them.
- Check that exit doors open from the inside without a key.
- In the laundry room, look for leaks, mold, and landlord-provided machines that do not work.
- Check the trash and recycling area. Bins should have lids, not overflow, and be picked up on a regular schedule.
Building exterior and systems
- Look at the roof from the ground for missing or damaged tiles or shingles. Water stains on a top-floor ceiling can mean a roof leak.
- Look at outside walls, landings, and the area around windows for damage that lets water in.
- Check walkways and landings for large cracks or trip hazards.
- Look at vents and screens along the eaves and foundation. Missing or torn screens let rodents in.
- Look for standing or stagnant water, which can breed mosquitoes.
- Note any exposed or frayed wiring, an open electrical panel, or a missing panel cover. Do not touch these — keep your distance and write down what you see.
Violation or normal wear
Not every flaw is a legal violation.
The law expects a home to show some age. It does not expect a home to be unsafe or unlivable. A violation is usually a condition the landlord failed to repair that affects health, safety, or whether the home is livable — no hot water, a roof or window that leaks, exposed wiring, mold from a leak, a broken heater in cold months, a pest infestation. Normal wear is the ordinary aging of living somewhere — faded paint, worn carpet, small nail holes, a loose cabinet knob.
There is a gray area, and that is fine. If a condition affects your health, your safety, or your ability to use a basic part of your home, write it down and treat it as worth raising. You do not have to label it perfectly. You just need to record it.
How to document what you find
The part most people skip is the part that matters most.
Take dated photos and video
Photograph every problem — a wide shot so the room is clear, then a close-up. For a leak, low water pressure, or a heater that will not turn on, a short video shows it better than a still. Make sure the date is on the file.
Put your repair request in writing and keep a copy
A text or quick call is easy to deny later. Send your request in writing — text, email, or letter — and keep a copy. Describe the problem, the room, and the date you noticed it. Keep it factual.
Keep a simple log
Start a running list. Each time something happens, add a line with the date and what occurred — when you first noticed it, when you reported it, what the landlord said, and when anyone came to look or fix it.
Note any witnesses
If a neighbor, family member, or friend saw the problem or was there when you reported it, write down their name. People who can confirm what happened add weight to your record.
What to do next
A calm, step-by-step path.
- Put your repair request in writing if you have not already. Keep it factual and keep a copy.
- Give your landlord a reasonable chance to fix the problem. The law expects you to let them know and give them time. Your written request and your log show that you did.
- Know that retaliation is illegal. A sudden rent increase, a threat to evict, or a service taken away soon after you spoke up can be unlawful. Write down the date and what happened, because the timing matters.
- Keep documenting until the problem is actually fixed. Take "after" photos once a repair is done, or keep recording if it is not.
- If your home was not fully livable, you may be owed money back. The rent you paid may have been more than the home was worth during that time.
If your home was not fully livable, you may be owed money back.
Our rent-reduction calculator shows the City of Los Angeles published monthly value for a housing service you lost — a starting point, free to use. If your landlord is ignoring you or has started to retaliate, talk to us. The first call is free, we only represent tenants, and there is no pressure.