Tenant’s Rights and Responsibilities

Have questions? Call the Tenant Information Hotline: (317) 327-2228

Notice of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

If you lease a residential rental unit, you have the following legal rights as a tenant:

  • You have the right to a safe and livable home. This means a rental unit that:

    • Is secure, with doors and windows that can be locked

    • Has working plumbing, hot water, heating, and at least one smoke detector

    • Has functioning electricity without unsafe wiring or outlets.

  • Your landlord must tell you about any known lead-based paint or hazards.

  • Your landlord must keep any common areas and elevators in clean, usable condition.

  • You have the right to basic privacy in your home. This generally means:

    • Your landlord cannot lock you out without a court order

    • Your landlord cannot enter your unit without notice, except in emergencies.

  • You have the right to be free from discrimination based on your race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, color, disability, ancestry, familial status, veteran status, or an expunged criminal conviction.

  • Your landlord must return your security deposit within 45 days of you moving out, if you leave the unit in good order and give a forwarding address in writing. Your landlord must itemize any deductions from the full deposit amount. You may dispute those deductions.

  • You may have additional rights if you or someone in your household has been the victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking, and a civil protection order or criminal no-contact order has been entered.

You also have certain responsibilities as a tenant:

  • Indiana law requires that tenants pay rent. You should not stop paying rent, or other amounts you owe under your lease, to force your landlord to make repairs or provide upkeep on your rental unit without consulting with a lawyer first.

  • You and your guests must use the systems, appliances, and features of your rental unit and common areas of your building safely and reasonably.

  • You must comply with your rental agreement and your landlord’s other property rules.

  • You must keep the smoke detector in your rental unit in working order.

  • You must give your landlord notice when your unit needs repairs, and you must give your landlord access at reasonable times to make those repairs.

  • You can’t damage or deface your unit or its fixtures, and when you move away, you must leave your unit in good condition, apart from normal wear and tear.

To learn more about your rights and responsibilities or to seek legal help, call the Tenant Information Hotline at (317) 327-2228. The Hotline operates from the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays.

These rights and responsibilities are yours by law. Your landlord cannot retaliate against you for asking about or exercising your rights, including contacting the Health Department or calling the Tenant Information Hotline. Your landlord is required to ensure that you review and sign this Notice, to provide you a renewed Notice if and when you renew your lease, and to keep your signed Notice on file for as long as you remain a tenant.