If a landlord fails to meet their legal responsibility to maintain rental property, tenants may respond in a variety of ways, including withholding the rent or repairing the problem (or hiring someone to do so) and deducting the cost from the rent. This chart lists state statutes on these options. For advice on reading and understanding state laws, see Nolo's Laws and Legal Research Center.
State |
Statute or case on rent withholding |
Statute or case on repair and deduct |
|
Alabama |
Ala. Code § 35-9A-405 |
No statute |
|
Alaska |
Alaska Stat. § § 34.03.190, 34.03.100(b) |
Alaska Stat. § § 34.03.180, 34.03.100(b) |
|
Arizona |
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 33-1365 |
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § § 33-1363 to -1364 |
|
Arkansas |
No statute |
No statute |
|
California |
Green v. Superior Court, 10 Cal. 3d 616 (1974) |
Cal. Civ. Code § 1942 |
|
Colorado |
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-507 |
No statute |
|
Connecticut |
Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § § 47a-14a to -14h |
Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 47a-13 |
|
Delaware |
Del. Code Ann. tit. 25, § 5308(b)(3) |
Del. Code Ann. tit. 25, § § 5307, 5308 |
|
District of Columbia |
Javins v. First Nat?l Realty Corp., 428 F.2d 1071 (D.C. Cir. 1970) |
D.C. Code Ann § 6-751.10 (for installation of fire alarms only) |
|
Florida |
Fla. Stat. Ann. § 83.60 |
No statute |
|
Georgia |
No statute |
No statute |
|
Hawaii |
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-78 |
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-64 |
|
Idaho |
No statute |
No statute |
|
Illinois |
765 Ill. Comp. Stat. § § 735/2, 735 /2.2 |
765 Ill. comp. Stat. § 742/5 |
|
Indiana |
No statute |
No statute |
|
Iowa |
Iowa Code Ann. § 562A.24 |
Iowa Code Ann. § 562A.23 |
|
Kansas |
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 58-2561 |
No statute |
|
Kentucky |
Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 383.645 |
Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § § 383.635, 383.640 |
|
Louisiana |
No statute |
La. Civ. Code Ann. art. 2694 |
|
Maine |
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 14, § 6021 |
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 14, § 6026 |
|
Maryland |
Md. Code Ann. [Real Prop.] § § 8-211, 8-211.1 |
No statute |
|
Massachusetts |
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 239, § 8A |
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 111, § 127L |
|
Michigan |
Mich. Comp. Laws § 125.530 |
Rome v. Walker, 198 N.W.2d 458 (1972); Mich. Comp Laws § 554.139 |
|
Minnesota |
Minn. Stat. Ann. § § 504B.215(3)(d), 504B.385 |
Minn. Stat. Ann § 504B.425 |
|
Mississippi |
No statute |
Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-15 |
|
Missouri |
Mo. Ann. Stat. § § 441.570, 441.580 |
Mo. Ann. Stat. § 441.234 |
|
Montana |
Mont. Code Ann. § 70-24-421 |
Mont. Code Ann. § § 70-24-406 to -408 |
|
Nebraska |
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1428 |
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1427 |
|
Nevada |
Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 118A.490 |
Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § § 118A.360, 118A.380 |
|
New Hampshire |
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-d |
No statute |
|
New Jersey |
N.J. Stat. Ann. 2A:42-88 |
Marini v. Ireland, 265 A.2d 526 (1970) |
|
New Mexico |
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 47-8-27.2 |
No statute |
|
New York |
N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 235-b, Semans Family Ltd. Partnership v. Kennedy, 675 N.Y.S.2d 489 (N.Y.City Civ.Ct.,1998) |
N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 235-a; Jangla Realty Co. v. Gravagna, 447 N.Y.S. 2d 338 (Civ. Ct., Queens County, 1981) |
|
North Carolina |
No statute |
No statute |
|
North Dakota |
No statute |
N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-13 |
|
Ohio |
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 5321.07 (does not apply to student tenants; or when landlord owns three or fewer rental units, as long as landlord has given written notice to tenant) |
No statute |
|
Oklahoma |
Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 41, § 121 |
Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 41, § 121 |
|
Oregon |
Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.365 |
Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.365 |
|
Pennsylvania |
68 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 250.206; 35 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 1700-1 |
Pugh v. Holmes, 405 A.2d 897 (1979) |
|
Rhode Island |
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-32 |
R.I. Gen. Laws § § 34-18-30 to -31 |
|
South Carolina |
S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-640 |
S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-630 |
|
South Dakota |
S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 43-32-9 |
S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 43-32-9 |
|
Tennessee |
Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-111-104 |
Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-502 |
|
Texas |
No statute |
Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § § 92.056, 92.0561 |
|
Utah |
No statute |
Utah Code Ann. § 57-22-6 |
|
Vermont |
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 9, § 4458 |
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 9, § 4459 |
|
Virginia |
Va. Code Ann. § § 54-248.25, 54-248.25.1, 54-248-27 |
No statute |
|
Washington |
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § § 59.18.110, 59.18.115 |
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § § 59.18.100, .110 |
|
West Virginia |
No statute |
No statute |
|
Wisconsin |
Wis. Stat. Ann. § 704.07(4) |
No statute |
|
Wyoming |
Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1206 |
No statute |
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