If you are a tenant in a privately-owned building, contact the owner, managing agent, or building superintendent regarding the repairs. If the owner, managing agent, or superintendent does not respond or fails to provide essential services, you may report the condition to the City's Citizen Service Center at 311 (311 may be accessed outside New York City by dialing 212-NEW-YORK). For the hearing impaired, the TTY number is 212-504-4115. The Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In most cases, this is a landlord-tenant issue. If the things needing repair are serious enough to be code violations, then you can make a WRITTEN request for repairs to be done in a certain length of time (14 days in Nebraska, 7 days in Iowa) ort the landlord maybe in violation of the lease and you might have the right to leave with proper notices. In Nebraska, see the Landlord-Tenant Handbook at the Nebraska Legal Aid website under "Booklets" (see Links) for instructions and sample letters.

You can cancel the lease if the apartment is no longer fit to live in or if the damage was substantial. Or you may make the repairs yourself and deduct a reasonable cost from the rent due. Rent withholding may not be used to force repairs. For more information on how to repair and deduct, see our FAQ, "Repairs--What Can I Do When My Landlord Won't Make Them."

A landlord cannot avoid the duty to make repairs. However, this generally only applies to major repairs, heat, water, roof falling in, and does not generally apply to small repairs, unless the repairs are contracted for in the leasing agreement.

If a landlord fails to make repairs after a tenant notifies the landlord about the need for repairs, the tenant has several options. A tenant may call a housing inspector at the D.C. Rental Accommodations Office at 202-442-4610 who will report the violations to the landlord and the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

The NYC Commission on Human Rights has a brochure, "Reasonable Accommodation in Housing Is the Law", that describes the landlord's legal responsibilities regarding a tenant's right to make reasonable changes to both the public and private areas to accommodate their disability. If the landlord is denying you or a client permission to make modifications, GEM recommends that you give him/her a copy of their brochure. To obtain a copy, contact the Commission on Human Rights at 212-306-7530.

The landlord cannot raise your rent because you have complained about problems in your unit such as broken plumbing or heating. You must be able to prove that the landlord raised your rent in retaliation for your complaint if you choose not to pay the increase. This may be difficult to prove without placing your tenancy at risk. You will want to consult an attorney prior to withholding rent.

No. The law considers rent and repair separate issues. Absent a rental clause or contractual agreement to the contrary, a tenant must pay the rent on time and resort to other legal recourse to obtain repairs from the landlord. See, Borochoff Properties v. Creative Printing Enterprises, 233 Ga. 279, 210 S.E.2d 809 (1974).

If there are situations present in your home/apartment that the landlord refuses to repair/mend/attend to, you may seek assistance from the City of Bethlehem Bureau of Inspections at (610) 865-7097. They will come and inspect your home and may require your landlord to bring the sub-standard condition up to code standards. The following is a list of potential code violations that the inspectors may look for:

Serious repair issues, such as faulty electrical wiring, gas leaks, and structural damage may be violations of the local building code which should be brought to the attention of the Building Inspection office for your city or county. The Building Inspector may inspect your building, and if warranted, issue a citation to the landlord for any violations that require repairs. Section 55-248.13 of the VRLTA outlines the duties and responsibilities of the landlord to maintain the rental property.

No. In Ohio, a tenant whose landlord refuses or fails to make repairs cannot withhold their rent. However, the tenant may deliver to the landlord written notice of the defective conditions or repairs requested. Then, if the landlord does not make the repairs in a reasonable amount of time, the tenant may deposit her rent with the Court. You can get more information about rent deposit from the Housing Court Specialists on the 13th Floor of the Justice Center.

The landlord and tenant have obligations set out in F.S. 83.51 and 83.52. If the rental agreement is to be terminated, the statutes also outline the procedures for terminating a rental agreement in F.S. 83.56.

If you want to get top dollar for your property, you probably need to make all minor repairs and selected major repairs before going on the market. Nearly all purchase contracts include an inspection clause, a buyer contingency that allows a buyer to back out if numerous defects are found or negotiate their repair. The trick is not to overspend on pre-sale repairs, especially if there are few houses on the market but many buyers willing to buy at almost any price.

You can do serious harm to your denture and to your health by trying to adjust or repair your denture. A denture that is not made to fit precisely by a dentist can cause irritation and sores. Using a do-it-yourself kit can damage the appliance beyond repair. Glues sold over-the-counter often contain harmful chemicals and should not be used on a denture. If your denture no longer fits properly, if it breaks, cracks or chips, or if one of the teeth becomes loose, see your dentist immediately.

You do not need a permit from the Landmarks Commission to perform ordinary repairs or maintenance chores. For example, you do not need a permit to replace broken window glass, repaint a building exterior to match the existing color, or caulk around windows and doors. If you have any doubt about whether a permit is needed, call the Commission at (212) 669-7817.

Yes, GPS offers no charge inspections and will provide you with a free estimate including a complete scope of work should you need our services. Certain repairs may require a specialist like a roofer, HVAC contractor or a plumber to correct the water source issues.