What we verified in “If your landlord ignores repairs: how to request an inspection”

Statements and where we checked them

The statements with rules, figures or dates, with the exact place in the source and the date we checked them.

1. According to the California Attorney General, if a landlord refuses to make repairs, tenants should contact their local code enforcement office or local health department; cities or counties may also have a rent board or rent control program that deals with building health and safety; and if a tenant with health or safety problems in the home gets an eviction notice, it is very important to tell a lawyer or the court.

   Sources 1 · Landlord-Tenant Issues, 'Housing Conditions': 'If a landlord refuses to make repairs, tenants should contact their local code enforcement office or local health department'; 'their own rent board or rent control program that deals with building health and safety'; 'it is very important for the tenant to inform a lawyer or the court about those health and safety issues' · Checked October 31, 2026

2. According to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), before filing a complaint you should contact the owner or landlord; if they do not respond, you file with 311 by phone, online or through the app; HPD tries to contact the building's managing agent to say a complaint was filed; it may send a uniformed code enforcement inspector to inspect the condition; the owner is not told the inspection date; if a violation is found, HPD sends a Notice of Violation to the managing agent; you can check the complaint's status with the service request number; and there is a tenant guide in Spanish.

   Sources 2 · Report a Maintenance Issue: 'Before filing a compliant, contact your property owner or landlord first'; 'If your landlord is unresponsive, file a complaint with 311'; 'HPD will attempt to contact your building's managing agent to advise them that a complaint has been filed'; 'a uniformed Code Enforcement inspector will be sent to inspect the reported condition'; 'The owner/agent is not notified of the inspection date'; 'HPD will send a Notice of Violation to the managing agent'; 'You can check the status of these complaints using the Service Request number'; 'Guía General para los Inquilinos para saber Qué Esperar' · Checked October 31, 2026

3. According to New York's HPD, the owner has different deadlines to correct a violation depending on its class: Class A (non-hazardous), 90 days; Class B (hazardous), 30 days; Class C heat or hot water, immediately; Class C of other types, 24 hours, with different deadlines for some types, such as 21 days for lead-based paint; and its Emergency Repair Program may repair certain conditions and bill the owner.

   Sources 2 · Report a Maintenance Issue: 'CLASS A (non-hazardous) - 90 days'; 'CLASS B (hazardous) - 30 days'; 'CLASS C heat or hot water - immediately'; 'CLASS C (all other types) - 24 hours'; 'CLASS C lead-based paint - 21 days'; 'HPD's Emergency Repair Program may repair certain conditions and bill the owner' · Checked October 31, 2026

4. According to HUD, always tell your landlord or manager about any problem with your unit; if you have a voucher or live in public housing, contact your local public housing agency; if you live in a HUD-assisted apartment complex, contact HUD's Multifamily Housing Complaint Line at (800) 685-8470; and all HUD-assisted properties are inspected to make sure they are decent, safe and sanitary.

   Sources 3 · Helping Americans, 'Current HUD-assisted Residents': 'Always inform your landlord or manager about any issues you have with your unit'; 'contact your local public housing agency'; 'HUD’s Multifamily Housing Complaint Line at (800) 685-8470'; 'All HUD-assisted properties are inspected to make sure they are decent, safe, and sanitary' · Checked October 31, 2026

5. Under the federal voucher program rule (24 CFR 982.405), when the family tells the housing agency about a possible life-threatening deficiency, the agency must inspect and notify the owner within 24 hours, and the owner must repair it within the next 24 hours; if it is not life-threatening, the agency must inspect within 15 days and the owner must repair within 30 days or any extension the agency approves; and the agency may not charge the family for the inspection or reinspection.

   Sources 4 · 24 CFR §982.405(d): 'If the reported deficiency is life-threatening, the PHA must, within 24 hours of notification' inspect and notify the owner; owner repairs within 24 hours; 'If the reported deficiency is non-life-threatening, the PHA must, within 15 days of notification'; owner repairs within 30 days or any PHA-approved extension; (g): 'The PHA may not charge the family for an initial inspection or reinspection of the unit' · Checked October 31, 2026

6. Under the Texas Property Code (section 92.331), a landlord may not retaliate against a tenant for complaining in good faith to a government entity that enforces building or housing codes, a utility or a civic or nonprofit agency about a code violation or utility problem; and for six months after that complaint the landlord may not, in retaliation, file an eviction (except on grounds the law allows), deprive the tenant of the use of the home, decrease services, raise the rent or end the lease.

   Sources 5 · Tex. Prop. Code §92.331(a)(3): 'complains to a governmental entity responsible for enforcing building or housing codes, a public utility, or a civic or nonprofit agency'; 'claims a building or housing code violation or utility problem'; 'believes in good faith that the complaint is valid'; (b): 'within six months after the date of the tenant's action'; 'filing an eviction proceeding, except for the grounds stated by Section 92.332'; 'decreasing services to the tenant'; 'increasing the tenant's rent or terminating the tenant's lease' · Checked October 31, 2026

7. According to the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), it is an independent nonprofit established by Congress to fund civil legal aid for low-income Americans, it funds organizations in every state, the District of Columbia and the territories, and on its website you enter an address or city to find the nearest organization.

   Sources 6 · I Need Legal Help: 'LSC is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974 to provide financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans'; 'in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories'; 'enter an address or city below to find an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you' · Checked October 31, 2026