Your rights as a tenant

What to know

1. You have a right to a livable home. Landlords must keep a rental fit to live in. New York, for example, counts a lack of regular heat or hot water, or an insect infestation, as a breach, and a lease can't take that right away. Source: New York AG² California requires working deadbolts on the main entry door, window locks, and smoke detectors in bedrooms. Source: California DRE¹ Texas requires smoke detectors and security devices like keyed deadbolts and door viewers, installed at the landlord's expense. Source: Texas AG³
2. Ask for repairs in writing. Email or a dated letter creates proof. Describe the problem, when it started, and attach photos. Some state remedies only work if you followed exact steps. In Texas, your rent must be current, and if the first notice wasn't sent by certified or registered mail, you may need to send a second one before your repair rights kick in. Source: Texas AG³
3. Know the legal options if repairs don't happen. In Texas, if a serious health or safety problem isn't fixed after proper notice, you may be able to end the lease, repair it and deduct the cost, or ask a justice of the peace to order the repair (up to $10,000) without a lawyer. Source: Texas AG³ California lets tenants repair and deduct up to one month's rent for serious problems, with strict conditions. Source: California DRE¹
4. Don't withhold rent on your own. If the problem doesn't qualify, or you skip a step, you can be sued or evicted. Texas says you can't withhold rent over problems that don't materially affect health or safety. Source: Texas AG³ California warns that a landlord can serve a 3-day notice to pay or quit if you deduct rent for repairs that aren't covered. Source: California DRE¹ Talk to legal aid first.
5. Know that complaining is protected. A landlord can't punish you for asking for repairs. In California, if a landlord tries to evict you within six months after you exercised certain rights, like complaining to code enforcement, the law presumes it's retaliation. Source: California DRE¹ Texas bans retaliation for six months after a good-faith repair complaint. Source: Texas AG³
6. Know that only a court can evict you. A landlord can't change the locks, remove your doors or windows, take your belongings, or cut off water, gas or electricity to force you out. In California, a landlord who does this can owe your actual costs, like a hotel, plus up to $100 a day. Source: California DRE¹ Texas generally bars landlords from interrupting utilities except for real repairs, construction or emergencies. Source: Texas AG³
7. Take every eviction notice seriously. A notice is the start of a process, not the end. California's 3-day notice to pay or quit counts only weekdays that aren't court holidays. Source: California DRE¹ Read it the day you get it, write down the deadline, and call legal aid immediately. Source: LSC⁷ Ignoring court papers can mean losing by default.
8. Know your privacy rules. Your landlord can come in for repairs and showings, but most states require notice except in emergencies. In California, that means written notice (24 hours is presumed reasonable) during normal business hours. Source: California DRE¹ In New York, entry needs your consent or must follow your lease, and emergencies like a fire or a leak are the exception. Source: New York AG²
9. Know that discrimination is illegal. The federal Fair Housing Act bans discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability, and requires reasonable accommodations for disabilities. Source: HUD⁴ Many states protect more groups. California, for example, also bans landlords from disclosing a tenant's immigration status to harass or retaliate. Source: California DRE¹
10. Know your rights if a screening report gets you turned down. A landlord who denies you, or charges a higher deposit, because of a screening report must tell you which company made it. You can get a free copy within 60 days and dispute errors. The company generally has 30 days to investigate. Source: CFPB⁶

Tenant guides for all 50 states and DC

Your state's rules decide deposits, notice and repairs. Most of these come from a state attorney general, housing agency, court or legislature. Where we couldn't find one, the row says who publishes the closest guide we found. Each link was opened and checked on October 3, 2026. Cities can add their own rules, so check your city too.

Not a government source: Alabama (Legal Services Alabama, a nonprofit legal aid group) and Ohio (the Ohio State Bar Association). West Virginia: we didn't find a state tenant guide; the attorney general's consumer division takes complaints.

Worth knowing in three big states

Your state's attorney general or housing agency publishes the rules that actually apply to you. USA.gov keeps a list of state tenant-rights agencies. Source: USA.gov⁵ A few details from three of the largest states:

Cities can add stronger rules, like rent stabilization or just-cause eviction. Check your city or county housing office.

A repair request you can copy

Subject: Repair request, [address, unit #]

Hi [name],

On [date] I noticed [the problem: no hot water, a leak under the kitchen sink, a broken lock]. It is [getting worse / affecting health or safety because ___]. Photos are attached. Please let me know by [date, about a week out] when it will be repaired. You have my permission to enter for this repair on [days and times].

Thank you,
[your name, phone]

Keep this record

• Every repair request: the date sent, what you asked for, and the reply.
• Photos and video of the problem, with dates.
• Proof of every rent payment (bank record, app record or receipt).
• Every notice from the landlord, with the date you got it and how it was delivered.
• Your move-in and move-out photos, for the deposit.

If it doesn't work

• If you were discriminated against, you can file a complaint with HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Source: HUD⁴
• If a serious repair still isn't done, many cities have code enforcement or housing inspectors who can inspect. California's guide lists complaining to local code enforcement as a protected right. Source: California DRE¹
• If you live in HUD-assisted housing and the problem isn't fixed, USA.gov lists a HUD complaint line for that housing. Source: USA.gov⁵
• If a screening company won't fix an error, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB. Source: CFPB⁶
• If you get an eviction notice or court papers, contact legal aid right away. The Legal Services Corporation has a finder for free civil legal aid near you. Source: LSC⁷