Substandard conditions and the right to repairs.

The law lists the basics. Working plumbing, hot and cold water, heat, safe electrical, a sound roof and walls, working locks and windows, and a building kept free of pests and mold.

When these things break and the landlord knows about it, the duty to fix them is the landlord’s, not yours.

If a landlord ignores a serious repair, the law gives a tenant some self-help tools. Repair and deduct lets you pay to fix a problem and take the cost out of rent, within limits. In some cases a tenant can withhold rent until the home is made livable.

These tools have strict rules and real risks if used wrong. Put your request in writing, give the landlord a reasonable chance to fix it, and keep records before you act.

It is illegal for a landlord to raise your rent, cut your services, or move to evict you because you asked for a repair or reported a problem. The law treats those moves, when they come soon after you spoke up, as retaliation.

If your rent jumped or a notice appeared right after you reported a condition, write down the timeline. That timeline matters.