As a renter, you automatically obtain certain rights after establishing a lease with a landlord. Among these rights is the right to live in a habitable rental property that meets your state’s- specific building, health, and safety codes.
The responsibility for notifying the landlord of issues, however, lies squarely with you as a renter. Once you notice an issue on your rented premises, you must notify the landlord immediately.
The urgency will, of course, depend on whether the issue is an emergency or not. For emergency issues, such as electrical problems, gas leaks, major leaks, or pest infestations, you’ll need to inform the landlord immediately for repair.
This can help stop further damage to the unit and protect yourself against potential liabilities.
After notifying your landlord of the issue, they will then have X number of days to make the repairs. The exact timeline will depend on your specific state laws.
Landlords have 30 days by default to make repairs after getting an issue. If the landlord or renter wants a different period of time to apply, there has to be a documentable good reason.
Landlords must begin repairs within 24 hours after getting a written or electronic request. This gets extended to 96 hours when the tenant gives permission to enter for repairs in the initial request and the issue doesn’t materially impact health and safety.
Landlords have 15 days to make repairs after notice. In the first month of occupancy, however, the tenant can end the lease anytime the landlord fails to repair, even with a promised time frame under 15 days.
Landlords have 7 days to make repairs after getting a written request. However, a landlord who doesn’t respond immediately to an emergency situation may be liable for extra cost that the renter suffers as a result.
Landlords have a reasonable time to complete repairs after getting a written request from the tenant. What’s reasonable depends on all circumstances related to the issue, and gets determined case by case.
Ellis v. Hartford Run Apartments, LLC, 335 Ga. App. 118, 121(Ga. Ct. App. 2015)
Hawaii
Landlords typically have 12 business days to make needed repairs after getting a written request. This is reduced to one week for substantial issues and 3 business days for issues that relate essential utilities or major appliances.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-64(c) (2022)
Idaho
Landlords have 3 days to make repairs after getting a written request from the tenant that describes the issue.
Id. Code. § 6-320(a) (2022)
Illinois
Landlords have 14 days to make repairs after getting a written request through a registered or certified mail, although a shorter time period may be reasonable for emergencies.
765 ILCS 742/5 (2022)
Indiana
Landlords have a reasonable time to complete repairs after the notice. What’s reasonable is determined case by case; for example, courts have held that 2 weeks to repair a water heater, and one week for a burst pipe, were unreasonable waits.
Id. Code § 32-31-8-6(d) & (e) (2022)
Iowa
Iowa landlords have seven days to make repairs after getting a written request, unless there’s a provable reason that remedying the issue isn’t possible within that period of time.
Ia. Code § 562a.21(1) (2022)
Kansas
Landlords have 14 days to begin good-faith repairs after getting a written request.
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 58-2559(a) (1) (2021)
Kentucky
Landlords have 14 days to perform repairs after getting a tenants request.
Landlords should get a reasonable time to make repairs after getting a written request from the tenant. What’s reasonable gets decided based on the totality of circumstances, case by case.
La. Civ. Code § 2688 (2022)
Maine
Landlords have a reasonable amount of time to make repairs after getting proper notice from the tenant. What’s reasonable will depend on the totality of circumstances, but the law expects prompt action from the landlord.
Maine Rev. Stat. § 6021(3) (2022)
Maryland
Landlords have a reasonable time to make repairs after getting proper notice. What’s reasonable depends on the specifics of the situation but the law presumes that over 30 days is an unreasonable amount of time to wait for repairs.
Md. Real Prop. Code. § 8-211(g) & (h) (2022)
Massachusetts
Landlords have a reasonable time to make repairs after receiving a written notice from the tenant or a citation from the government. What’s reasonable is determined based on circumstances, case by case, but repairs should be substantially finished within 14 days.
Mass. Gen. Laws Chap. 186 § 19 (2022)
Michigan
Landlords have a reasonable time to make repairs after getting a proper notice from the renter. What’s reasonable gets decided case by case, based on all the circumstances.
Mich. Comp. L. § 554.139(1) & (2) (2022)
Minnesota
Landlords have 14 days to make repairs after getting a written notice, except for code violations where the renter can show good reason for a shorter period of time.
Minn. Stat. § 504B.385(c) (2022)
Mississippi
Landlords must make repairs within 14 days of getting a written notice from the tenant.
Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-13(3)(a) & (3)(b) (2022)
Missouri
Landlords have to make repairs within a reasonable time after notice. To avoid the renter repairing and deducting the cost from rent, this means repairs must in most cases be complete within 14 days.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.234(2) (2022)
Montana
Landlords have 14 days to make repairs after getting proper written notice about an issue from the renter. This is shortened to 3 business days in a case of an emergency.
Mont. Code Ann. § 70-24-406(1)(a) (2022)
Nebraska
Landlords have 14 days to make repairs after getting a proper notice from the tenant. However, a landlord who deliberately fails to deal with an issue relating to essential utilities may be liable for costs of damage to the tenant.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1425(1) (2022)
Nevada
Landlords have 14 days to put forth their best possible effort to make repairs, after getting proper written notice about an issue from the tenant.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.355(1) (2022)
New Hampshire
Landlords have 14 days to make repairs after getting a proper written notice about an issue from the tenant.
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-d(I) (2022)
New Jersey
Landlords have “adequate” time under the circumstances to make repairs after getting a certified repair request.
Landlords have 7 days to reasonably attempt repairs after getting proper written notice about an issue from the tenant.
N.M Stat. Ann. § 47-8-27.1(A) (1) (2022)
New York
Landlords get a reasonable time after notice to make repairs. Emergencies must be fixed immediately. For non-emergencies, in many cases, repairs must be completed within 30 days.
N.Y. Real Prop. Law (“RPL”) § 235-B (2022
North Carolina
Landlords have a reasonable time to make repairs after getting notice about an issue from the tenant. What’s reasonable is judged by all applicable circumstances.
N.C. Gen Stat. § 42-42(a)(8) (2022)
North Dakota
Landlords have a reasonable time to make repairs after getting notice about an issue from the tenant. What’s reasonable is determined case by case, looking at all applicable circumstances. Courts will not consider it reasonable to take months to repair an issue.
N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-13.1(2) (2021)
Ohio
Landlords have a reasonable time to make repairs after getting a proper notice from the tenant. What’s reasonable depends on the particular circumstances, but the law clearly states 30 days is the maximum and that the landlord will usually have to do repairs sooner than that.
Oh. Rev. Code § 5321.07(A) (2022)
Oklahoma
Landlords have 14 days to make repairs after getting proper notice from the renter except for emergencies.
41 Okla. Stat. § 121(A) (2020)
Oregon
Landlords have 30 days to make most repairs after getting a proper notice about an issue from the renter. For essential services like heating and electricity, this time it’s reduced to 7 days.
Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.360(1)(a) (2023)
Pennsylvania
Landlords must make repairs within a reasonable time after getting notice about an issue. What’s reasonable is decided case by case; bigger issues get more time to address, emergencies less etc. Courts consider what an ordinary person acting in good faith would do.
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Consumer Guide to Landlord and Tenant Rights, § IV.C. (June 2022)
Rhode Island
Landlords have 30 days to make repairs after getting a proper notice from the tenant about an issue.
R.I.Gen. Laws § 34-18-28(a) (2022)
South Carolina
Landlords have 14 days to make repairs after getting proper notice about an issue from the tenant. However, if the issue isn’t related to health and safety and the landlord begins and continues in good faith repairs within 14 days of notice, the tenant isn’t allowed to cancel the lease.
S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-610(a) (2022)
South Dakota
Landlords have a reasonable time to make repairs after getting a proper notice about an issue from the renter. If landlords and renters agree on a specific time frame for repairs, courts will usually consider that binding agreement on what’s reasonable under the circumstances.
S.D. Laws § 43-42-9 (2023)
Tennessee
Landlords have 14 days to make repairs after receiving proper written notice about an issue from the tenant.
Tenn. Dep’t of Health, Healthy Homes – Renters
Texas
Landlords usually have 7 days after a proper notice. When using a service with delivery confirmation, one request is a proper notice. Otherwise proper notice requires a second written request made 7 days after the first.
Tex. Prop. Code § 92.056(b) & (d) (2021)
Utah
The landlord must repair issues within 1-10 days of getting written notice from the tenant about the needed repairs, depending on the type of issue.
Utah Code Ann. § 57-22-6(2) (2023)
Vermont
Landlords have a reasonable amount of time to make repairs after getting proper written notice about an issue from the tenant. What’s reasonable is case by case and depends on the circumstances, but in general it can’t be more than 30 days.
9 Vt. Stat. Ann. § 4458(a) (2023)
Virginia
Landlords have 21 days to make most repairs after getting proper notice from the tenant. When there is a fire hazard or serious threat to health and safety, landlords have 14 days to do the repairs after a written notice, or else the renter can repair and deduct.
Va. Code Ann. § 55.1-1234 (2023)
Washington
Landlords must begin repairs within 1-10 days of getting written notice from the tenant about needed repairs, depending on the specific issue.
Rev. Code. WA. § 59.18.070 (2022)
West Virginia
Landlords have a reasonable amount of time under the specific circumstances to make repairs after getting notice about an issue.
W.Va. Code § 37-6-30(a)(1) – (a)(4) (2022)
Wisconsin
Landlords have to make needed repairs “promptly” after getting written notice. The law requires completed repairs, not just attempted repairs, and prompt action after notice, not just reasonably timely action.
Wis. Stat. § 704.21(2) (2022)
Wyoming
Landlords have reasonable time to make repairs after initial notice in writing from the tenant about the issue. When the tenant sends a properly executed notice, the landlord must complete repairs within 3 days, or else the tenant can file suit.
WY. Stat. § 1-21-1202(d) (2022)
Conclusion
There you have it – The exact timeframe that a landlord must make repairs after getting proper notification from a tenant. If this time lapses and the landlord hasn’t honored their repair responsibility, you may have certain legal rights to exercise.
For instance, withholding rent until the repair is made, repairing the issue yourself and deducting the repair cost from rent, suing the landlord, or even terminating the lease without penalty.
Disclosure: The content herein isn’t a substitute for advice from a professional attorney. It’s only meant to serve educational purposes. If you have a specific question, kindly seek expert attorney services.
Hi, I’m Kelvin Nielsen, an experienced landlord and accomplished real estate lawyer. My focus is on answering your questions about renting in the hopes of making your life as a renter or a landlord a bit easier.
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