The heat and hot water in my apartment have been out for nearly 2 weeks and I can't get my landlord to respond to these issues. I have a toddler in the home and can't be without these things. I have called and e-mailed the landlord letting her know I was having these issues, but she refuses to respond to me. I don't have a good address of where to find her (she has since moved from the address on the lease) and she doesn't respond to phone calls or e-mails. Where can I go to have these issues resolved immediately? Don't tell me to fix it myself and withhold the rent, I've heard that before. Is there a department or someone that I can call about this? PLEASE HELP ME!!

First try your city or town's Dept. of Health. If they can't help you they should be able to direct you to the proper agency.

Definitely contact the Building Department and tell them about the no heat or hot water and the fact you have a small child. They will respond TWICE as fast due to the child's health. You must have heat when small children are in a home. There is NO excuse for this on the landlord's part not to have this fixed immediately.

Hello M:

I don't know why you don't want to fix it yourself. Wassa matter with THAT solution? Heat YOU paid for is the same as heat HE paid for. And, if you do it right, you can get your money back.

When I say "right", I mean legal. Isn't that what you're looking for here - a LEGAL solution?? Go read your landlord tenant law. We have a copy right here at the top of the real estate page on a sticky note.

excon

PS> Although the answers you received before mine were accurate, from my personal perspective, I've never found a bureaucrat who would REALLY act on my behalf. Now, maybe YOU'VE found some in your town... Plus, I especially wouldn't take the bureaucrat route if my state law provided a way for ME to handle MY own problem by MYSELF. And, most states DO.