KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Many landlords use the failure to make repairs as a way to evict tenants. When tenants complain to their landlords about the lack of repairs, or about the quality of repair, many landlords tell tenants to move out if they are unhappy. That is illegal.
Under California law, ALL Tenants (with or without Rent Stabilization) have the right to live in a unit that is both safe and sanitary.
This means that your landlord is legally required to repair or address:
• Water dripping from ceilings and walls (from leaking pipes, bathtubs, or sinks)
• Holes in walls or floors (or missing thresholds at the base of doorways)
• Plaster/paint shedding
• Visible mildew or mold from not having enough air circulation
• Damaged heater
• Bad plumbing (or sewage back up)
• Broken windows
• Missing window screens
• Broken smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors
• Large gaps behind kitchen drawers or cupboards where insects can enter
• Inadequate garbage collection
• Unsafe stairs/handrails
• Unsecure/improper doorknobs
• Faulty electrical wiring
• Vermin infestations that violate the Health Code: cockroaches (the small ones), rats, mice, and raccoons
• Infestations that violate the Building Code: termites