Bad or dangerous living conditions

My Landlord Won’t Fix My Apartment.

Your landlord is required to keep your unit in a safe, livable condition. If they don’t, you can file a report with the health department.

While your landlord cannot legally retaliate against you for filling a report, they may try to do so. Document any and all communications with your landlord.

Legally, you have to continue paying your rent even if there are problems with your house or apartment. Indiana law does not allow you to withhold rents due to lack of repairs, so it is not advisable to do so. If you withhold rents, you will be at risk of eviction. If evicted due to unpaid rent, bring documentation of issues to the damages hearing. It is possible they will be taken into account in what you owe.

Always keep detailed records of all issues (pictures), all written communications with your landlord, and all communications with any other entities. Speak to others in your complex to see if they have similar issues. Encourage them to seek legal aid and/or file a report. The more reports filed in the same building, the more likely it is that action will be taken and that the landlord may be forced to remedy the issues.

Landlords have 24 Hours to repair:

No water, gas, or electrical service

Raw sewage inside the structure

Sewer unsanitary conditions inside the structure

Toxic fumes from combustion appliances

No heat (seasonal)

Landlords have 1-30 days to repair:

Electrical

Plumbing

Appliance(stove, refrigerator, furnace, or air conditioner)

Walls, floors, ceiling, etc.

Siding or peeling paint(including lead-based paint)

Roof and foundation

Gutters and downspouts

Doors and windows

Accessory structures(unattached garages, shed, etc.)

Housing and Neighborhood Health:

You can file a complaint with the Indianapolis Public Health Department, and they should do an investigation and issue a report.

While your landlord cannot legally retaliate for you filing a report, they may try to do so.

317-221-2150

3838 N. Rural Street, Indianapolis, IN 46205

File a complaint here.

Attorney General Consumer Complaint:

You can also file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. The Attorney General cannot act as your private attorney, but they are able to file lawsuits on behalf of the State.

File a complaint here.

“The Attorney General cannot act as your private attorney. It is the responsibility of the Attorney General to protect public interests. In doing so, the Attorney General’s Office may file lawsuits on behalf of the state against companies that violate laws protecting consumers. The Attorney General’s Office cannot represent individual consumers when filing lawsuits nor can the office file a lawsuit whose only purpose is to recover money or property for an individual. In these instances, the consumer should seek legal advice from a private attorney, legal aid society, or other organizations. The following link provides information on free legal services for low-income and elderly Indiana residents: https://indianalegalhelp.org/.”