Can my Landlord require me to Pay for a Broken Heating System Repair?

When a landlord rents property to a tenant, the landlord makes an implied guarantee that he or she will provide for the tenant’s basic needs, such as heat and air.  If something happens that makes the property uninhabitable, in most circumstances, the landlord has a responsibility to fix it without deducting the cost from the tenant’s security deposit or by raising the tenant’s rent.  The security deposit covers damage inflicted by the tenant, but not, as a general matter, necessary repairs.  It is important to note that although tenants’ rights include having such repairs made, the fact that landlord refuses to make such repairs, in most situations, is not grounds to stop paying rent.  Refusing to continue paying rent could be grounds for eviction even if the landlord has failed to make necessary repairs to the property.