How to ask your landlord to fix something
When something breaks in a rental, report it the way your lease says, keep it short and specific, and leave a trail: what broke, where it is, when you noticed it, what you already tried, and when the landlord can get in. Attach a photo. For no heat, no water, sewage or a leak spreading through the ceiling, phone the emergency line first, then write the same details down.
About 15 minutes to learnTake care: injury or damage if careless
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How to do it
- Find the repair process in your lease or tenant handbook, such as an online portal, an email address or an emergency number.
- Take a photo or short video that shows the problem clearly.
- Write one short message: the problem, the room, the date you noticed it, and anything you tried, such as resetting a breaker.
- Offer two or three times when someone can get in, and say whether they may enter when you are out.
- Phone first for urgent problems, then send the written version so there is a record.
- Keep a simple log of each message, call and visit with dates.
- Send a polite follow-up that quotes your first message if a week passes with no reply.
Stop and call a professional if
- The problem affects health or safety, such as no heat in winter, no water, sewage or mold, and the landlord does not act: contact your city's housing inspection office or a local tenant rights group.
- You are thinking about withholding rent or repairing and deducting: ask a tenant rights group or a lawyer about your state's rules first.
- You smell gas: leave first and call from outside, as the gas smell skill explains.
Common mistakes
- Mentioning a leak in the hallway and assuming that counts as a request.
- Waiting weeks on a small drip until it becomes water damage you are blamed for.
- Holding back rent or paying for a repair yourself without checking your state's rules.
Quick self-check
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Teach this to someone
A one-page sheet for showing a friend, a roommate or a kid: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to ask your landlord to fix something
What to say
When something breaks in a rental, report it the way your lease says, keep it short and specific, and leave a trail: what broke, where it is, when you noticed it, what you already tried, and when the landlord can get in. Attach a photo. For no heat, no water, sewage or a leak spreading through the ceiling, phone the emergency line first, then write the same details down.
What to show, in order
- Find the repair process in your lease or tenant handbook, such as an online portal, an email address or an emergency number.
- Take a photo or short video that shows the problem clearly.
- Write one short message: the problem, the room, the date you noticed it, and anything you tried, such as resetting a breaker.
- Offer two or three times when someone can get in, and say whether they may enter when you are out.
- Phone first for urgent problems, then send the written version so there is a record.
- Keep a simple log of each message, call and visit with dates.
- Send a polite follow-up that quotes your first message if a week passes with no reply.
When to stop and call a professional
- The problem affects health or safety, such as no heat in winter, no water, sewage or mold, and the landlord does not act: contact your city's housing inspection office or a local tenant rights group.
- You are thinking about withholding rent or repairing and deducting: ask a tenant rights group or a lawyer about your state's rules first.
- You smell gas: leave first and call from outside, as the gas smell skill explains.
The check question
Ask: Which detail helps a repair get done fastest?
Related skills
- What to check before signing a lease
- How to reset a tripped breaker or GFCI outlet
- What to do if you smell gas
- Every skill in Renting and Moving
Words on this page
Sources
- State and city tenant rights guidance for renters, 2026. Checked September 28, 2026.
Last reviewed . First published .