10 answers

Health & Safety Questions

Pests, bed bugs, leaks, missing heat or hot water, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, lead paint and secondhand smoke — who is responsible and what you can do about each.

Who pays for bed bug treatment in a rental?Your landlord, in almost every situation — bed bugs are treated as a habitability problem under state law, so once you report them in writing, professional treatment is generally their responsibility, not yours.
Is my landlord responsible for roaches, mice, and other pests?Usually your landlord — keeping a rental reasonably free of roaches, mice, and similar pests is generally part of the basic legal duty to provide a livable home, especially when you didn't cause the infestation.
Can I break my lease because of roaches, mice, or bed bugs?Sometimes — if an infestation makes your home unfit to live in and your landlord doesn't fix it after proper written notice, your state's law may let you end the lease without penalty.
My apartment has no heat or hot water. What can I do?Report it to your landlord in writing immediately — no heat or hot water is treated as an emergency habitability problem under state law, with far faster repair deadlines than routine repairs get.
Is my landlord required to provide air conditioning?Not usually, unless your lease already provides it or your city or state law specifically requires it — landlord-tenant law treats air conditioning very differently from heat.
Who is responsible for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in a rental?Your landlord almost always installs and maintains smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, though responsibility for things like battery changes can shift to you partway through the tenancy under state and local rules.
Does my landlord have to tell me about lead paint?Yes, in nearly all pre-1978 rentals — federal law requires landlords to disclose any known lead-based paint hazards, give you an EPA pamphlet, and put a lead warning statement in your lease before you sign.
What should I do about a water leak or flooding in my apartment?Report it to your landlord in writing right away and take photos first — a leak is both a repair your landlord must address and a mold risk that gets worse the longer it sits, so speed matters more than for most repairs.
Is my landlord responsible if my belongings are damaged?Only sometimes — a landlord is typically responsible for damage to your belongings when their negligence caused it, like ignoring a known leak, but not for most damage outside their control.
What can I do about secondhand smoke coming into my apartment?Start with a written complaint to your landlord — private landlords aren't required by federal law to ban smoking, but persistent smoke drifting into your unit can still violate your lease, local law, or your right to quiet enjoyment.

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