To report a slum landlord, document the unsafe conditions in your rental, send the landlord written notice demanding repairs, and then file a complaint with the local government agency that handles that type of violation: the health department for mold, pests, or sewage; the building or code enforcement department for structural, electrical, and plumbing hazards; and the fire marshal for blocked exits or missing detectors. If your home receives federal housing assistance, you can also report to your public housing authority and to HUD. The steps below walk through each part of that process and what to do if the complaint alone doesn’t get the repairs made.
What Conditions You Can Actually Report
Nearly every state requires landlords to keep rental housing safe and livable regardless of what the lease says. A squeaky door or slow drain won’t get you anywhere with a housing inspector. The threshold is whether a reasonable person would consider the condition a genuine threat to health or safety. Conditions that commonly cross that line include:
- No heat or hot water, particularly in cold months
- Rodent, cockroach, or bedbug infestations that persist despite tenant cleanliness
- Mold growth, especially from leaks the landlord has refused to fix
- Backed-up sewage, persistent leaks, or no running water
- Exposed wiring, overloaded circuits, or non-functioning outlets in critical areas
- Holes in walls or floors, a leaking roof, or broken windows that won’t secure
If your rental was built before 1978, federal law required your landlord to disclose known lead-based paint hazards and give you an EPA-approved pamphlet before you signed the lease.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 4852d – Disclosure of Information Concerning Lead Upon Transfer of Residential Property If they didn’t and you have peeling or chipping paint, that’s a habitability issue and a separate federal violation you can report to the EPA. Carbon monoxide from faulty gas appliances, asbestos disturbed during renovations, and contaminated water are also reportable and usually warrant a call to the health department right away.
When to Skip the Formal Process
Some conditions can’t wait. A gas leak, a complete loss of heat in freezing weather, a sewage backup flooding your unit, or exposed electrical wiring that could cause a fire are emergencies. Call 911 or your local fire department for immediate life-safety threats. For urgent but non-life-threatening failures like a broken furnace in winter, most cities operate a 311 line that can dispatch an emergency inspector. Don’t wait for the landlord to respond.
Building Your Evidence File
Before filing anything, put together evidence that would convince a stranger your home is unsafe. Inspectors and, potentially, judges rely on what you can show them, not just what you describe.
Start with date-stamped photos and videos of every defect. Capture context, not only close-ups. A shot of mold on a wall means more when the wider frame shows it’s next to a crib. Keep a written log noting when you first saw each problem, how it has worsened, and how it affects your daily life.
Track every interaction with your landlord. Note the date, time, method of contact, and a summary of what was said. Save emails, texts, and voicemails. If a conversation happens by phone or in person, follow up with a text or email summarizing it so there’s a written record.
Notifying the Landlord in Writing
Most states require written notice and a reasonable repair window before you can pursue other remedies. Even where it isn’t required, this step strengthens everything that follows because it proves the landlord knew and chose not to act.
Send the notice by certified mail with a return receipt, or whatever method your state recognizes as proof of delivery. List every defect plainly, state that the conditions make the home unsafe or unhealthy, and set a repair deadline. Fourteen to 30 days is standard in most jurisdictions, though urgent issues like no heat justify a shorter window. Keep a copy of the letter and the mailing receipt with your evidence file. A certified letter creates a legal record that verbal complaints don’t, even if you’ve already told your landlord in person a dozen times.
Which Agency Handles Which Problem
Different problems go to different departments, and filing with the wrong one can delay your case by weeks. Search your city or county’s website for “report housing violations” or “code enforcement” to find the specific agency. In general:
- Health-related problems like mold, pest infestations, sewage backups, or contaminated water go to your local or county health department.
- Structural and safety defects like faulty wiring, broken stairs, a leaking roof, or non-working smoke detectors go to the building department or code enforcement division.
- Fire hazards like blocked exits, missing fire escapes, or non-functional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can also be reported to the local fire marshal’s office.
When in doubt, start with 311 or your city’s main government number. They’ll route you to the right department.
Section 8 and HUD-Subsidized Housing
If your rental receives federal funding, you have an extra layer of protection and an extra place to report. Units covered by the Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8) and other HUD-assisted programs must meet federal physical inspection standards called NSPIRE, which focus on health, safety, and functional defects.2U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE)
Report to your local public housing authority first; they administer the voucher program and can inspect the unit. If the property manager and housing authority aren’t responsive, escalate to HUD. For HUD-subsidized multifamily properties, email answers@hud.gov with “Rental Complaint” in the subject line. Include your name, contact information, apartment complex name, full address with unit number, a description of the problems, and the name of the property manager you already contacted.3U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. How Do I File a Complaint Related to a HUD-Subsidized Apartment You can also call HUD’s Multifamily Housing Complaint Line at 1-800-685-8470 to speak with a specialist who can help resolve the issue or send it to a HUD field office.4U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Multifamily Housing – Complaint Line
Filing the Complaint
Most cities offer online complaint portals, which are usually the fastest route. You can also file by phone, mail, or in person. Online systems typically generate a tracking number so you can check the status.
The complaint form will ask for your contact information, the landlord’s name and address, and a description of each violation. Be specific. “Bathroom ceiling has active black mold growth covering roughly four square feet, first noticed October 3, landlord notified in writing on October 5 and has not responded” is far more useful than “mold problem.” Attach copies of your photos, your written log, and the certified mail receipt. Keep the originals.
File with every relevant agency, not just one. A pest infestation and faulty wiring are separate complaints to the health department and building code enforcement. Multiple filings create more pressure and more documentation.
What Happens After You File
The agency assigns an investigator. In many jurisdictions, the first step is notifying the landlord that a complaint has been filed. If the landlord doesn’t fix the problems quickly, the agency schedules an inspection.
Be present for it. Walk the inspector through every issue and point out things that might not be obvious, like a leak hidden behind furniture or a window that won’t lock. If the inspector confirms violations, the agency issues a formal notice of violation to the landlord listing the specific code violations found and setting a legally binding deadline for repairs.
Most cases resolve here because ignoring a notice of violation carries real consequences. When a landlord blows past the deadline, enforcement escalates in stages: daily fines, a follow-up inspection, an administrative hearing, or a court referral. For severe or dangerous conditions, a court can order the building vacated or condemned. This is where your documentation pays off. Photos, log entries, and the certified mail receipt show the landlord had notice, had time, and did nothing.
If the Landlord Retaliates
Many tenants hesitate to report because they fear the landlord will raise rent, cut services, or start an eviction. Most states prohibit this. If your landlord takes adverse action shortly after you file a complaint, courts in most jurisdictions will presume the action was retaliatory. Protected activities typically include filing code enforcement complaints, reporting health violations, and requesting repairs.
Protection isn’t uniform. A handful of states have no statutory retaliation defense, though their courts may still recognize the concept. Where the laws exist, the presumption usually lasts a set period after the complaint, often six months to a year. Document the timing carefully. The closer the adverse action is to your complaint, the stronger the presumption that it was payback.
Other Options If the Complaint Isn’t Enough
A government complaint isn’t your only tool. More than 40 states let tenants withhold rent, deposit it into an escrow account, or pay for repairs directly and deduct the cost from rent when a landlord refuses to fix habitability violations. These remedies come with strict procedural requirements, and skipping a step can turn a valid withholding into an eviction for nonpayment.
The general sequence: document the problem, give the landlord written notice and a reasonable repair period (typically 14 to 30 days), then either withhold rent or hire someone to fix the problem and subtract the cost. In many states you can’t simply pocket the withheld rent; you must deposit it with the court or into an escrow account, and the money only moves once the landlord makes the repair or a court orders how it should be distributed. Repair-and-deduct usually has dollar limits, sometimes one month’s rent, sometimes less. Check your state’s specific rules before you try either.
If conditions are severe enough that you effectively can’t live in the unit, you may be able to break the lease without penalty under a doctrine called constructive eviction. You generally need to show that the landlord’s neglect substantially interfered with your ability to use the home, that you gave notice and a chance to fix it, and that you moved out within a reasonable time after the landlord failed to act. This is a last resort. Leave prematurely or without sufficient documentation and the landlord can pursue you for the remaining lease payments.
Getting Legal Help
You don’t need a lawyer to file a code enforcement complaint. Legal help becomes important if your landlord retaliates, if you’re considering rent withholding, or if you want to recover money for the time you lived in substandard conditions. Legal Services Corporation funds free legal aid offices in every state, and LawHelp.org connects low-income tenants with nonprofit legal organizations by location and issue type. Your local bar association may run a tenant rights clinic or pro bono referral program. Small claims court is another option for recovering damages without a lawyer, with filing fees typically under $100 and maximum claims ranging from roughly $6,000 to $20,000 depending on the state.