Landlords are legally held liable for the upkeep and maintenance of the rental property to liveable conditions which are clearly stated in local and state housing codes.  If a landlord doesn’t meet his or her legal responsibility, a tenant may have several methods of recourse:  such as paying less rent, withholding rent until problem is fixed, get a partial refund of past rent, or repairing the issue and charging the landlord for the service.  Tenants are also responsible for keeping the rental property in good shape by keeping it clean and sanitary as well.  Unsanitary living conditions caused by the tenant are not the responsibility of the landlord. With so many factors to consider and the differences in situation, many questions are bound to come up, some specific to one case, while other questions are more common-themed.  There are many of the commonly asked questions with resourceful answers here which may help you.