The apartment you’re living in desperately needs repairs, but your landlord is ignoring your requests, and now it’s affecting your health. What can you do to win a lawsuit against your landlord, and force them to take care of their property?

Is the ceiling cracked and falling in? Does your neighbor have a bed bug infestation that is coming into your apartment? Are the stairs in disrepair a slip and fall hazard? How can you hold your landlord liable?

These are 3 simple steps to help make your case airtight and win your lawsuit against your landlord.

Keep everything in writing.Keep verbal conversations to a minimum. Instead, make formal requests in writing, whether it’s through a website portal, email, text messages, fax, or certified mail. Try to date all the notes. Take photographs for evidence and attach those to any correspondences as well. This is essential proof that will make your case for you. Make notes on the photos of any health or safety issues that you see. Ask other tenants if they have the same issues and ask if they will be a witness in your case.
Be a great tenant.Always pay your rent on time and keep the apartment in as good of condition as you can. Don’t give your landlord any reason to retaliate against you or counter-argue in court. When your landlord does not hold up their end of the lease it can be easy to want to not hold up your end of the lease or even go as far as to trash the apartment, but this will only cause you to lose your lawsuit and worse, you could lose your security deposit and possibly face an eviction.
Contact an attorney for a free consultation.Find out if you have a strong case against your landlord. An attorney may be able to get you financial compensation for any medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering you’ve faced as a result of living in an apartment that has health and safety hazards.