Quick answer: Report unsafe rental conditions to your local code enforcement office or city housing authority — call 311 to be connected. For HUD-assisted or Section 8 housing, call HUD’s Multifamily Housing Complaint Line at 1-800-MULTI-70 (1-800-685-8470). If your landlord retaliates for complaining, contact your state attorney general’s tenant protection division.
Landlords are legally required to maintain rental units in habitable condition — this means working heat, no mold, functioning plumbing, structural safety, and freedom from pest infestations. When they don’t, it’s not just negligent: it violates local housing codes and your rights as a tenant. Reporting triggers an official inspection and creates a record that protects you legally.
What You Can Report
Reportable conditions include no heat or hot water, mold or water damage, sewage backups, pest or rodent infestations, broken locks or windows that compromise security, structural hazards like failing ceilings or stairs, lead paint in units with children, carbon monoxide or smoke detector failures, and disconnected utilities in violation of your lease. Landlord retaliation — raising rent, threatening eviction, or reducing services after you complain — is also illegal in most states and separately reportable to your state AG.
Where to Report a Slumlord
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Get Your Free Checklist →| Situation | Agency | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Unsafe conditions / code violations | Local code enforcement or housing authority | Call 311 or search “[your city] housing code complaint” |
| HUD / Section 8 housing violations | HUD Multifamily Complaint Line | 1-800-685-8470 | hud.gov |
| Landlord discrimination | HUD Fair Housing | 1-800-669-9777 | hud.gov/fairhousing |
| Landlord retaliation or deceptive practices | State Attorney General | Search “[your state] tenant rights complaint” |
| Health hazards (mold, lead, rodents) | Local Health Department | Call 311 or search “[your city] health department complaint” |
| Public complaint record | Better Business Bureau | bbb.org |
How to Report a Slumlord Step by Step
- Document conditions with photos and dates. Take dated photographs or videos of every violation — mold, water damage, broken fixtures, pest evidence, damaged ceilings. This is your most important evidence.
- Notify your landlord in writing first. Send a written notice (text, email, or certified letter) describing the problem and requesting repair. This creates a paper trail and may be legally required before escalating in some states.
- File a complaint with local code enforcement. Call 311 or search for your city’s housing or code enforcement office. An inspector will visit and issue a violation notice if conditions warrant it — the landlord must then fix the issue or face fines.
- Contact your local health department. For mold, lead paint, rodent infestations, or sewage issues, a health department complaint triggers a separate inspection under public health authority, which carries additional penalties.
- Call HUD if you’re in federally assisted housing. If you live in Section 8, public housing, or any HUD-assisted unit, call 1-800-685-8470. HUD has authority to act against landlords who receive federal funds while maintaining substandard units.
- Report discrimination separately. If you believe the slumlord’s neglect targets you based on race, national origin, disability, or other protected class, file a Fair Housing complaint with HUD at 1-800-669-9777.
- Contact your state attorney general for retaliation. If the landlord threatens eviction, raises rent, or removes services after your complaint, that’s illegal retaliation in most states — report it to the AG’s consumer protection or tenant rights division.
- Seek legal aid. Many areas have free legal aid for tenants. An attorney can advise on rent withholding, repair-and-deduct remedies, and whether to pursue the landlord for damages.
Tenant Remedies Beyond Reporting
Rent withholding: Some states allow tenants to withhold rent or deposit it into escrow until repairs are made. This requires following strict legal procedures — consult an attorney first.
Repair and deduct: Many states allow tenants to hire a repair person and deduct the cost from rent, up to a set limit, after providing notice to the landlord.
Constructive eviction: If conditions are so bad the unit is uninhabitable, you may be able to break your lease without penalty under the doctrine of constructive eviction.
What Happens After You Report
Code inspection: An inspector visits within days to weeks (emergency violations like no heat in winter may be 24–48 hours). Violations result in a written notice requiring the landlord to repair within a set timeframe.
Fines: Unresolved violations result in daily fines against the landlord — in many cities, $250–$1,000 per day per violation.
Building condemnation: Severe violations can result in the city condemning the property, requiring tenants to be relocated at the landlord’s expense.
State Consumer Protection Quick Links
Find Your City: Call 311 or search “[your city] housing code enforcement complaint” to find the local agency that handles inspections in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
For related guides see: How to Report a Landlord: Complete Guide for Tenants, How to Report an Unlicensed Contractor, How to Report Discrimination.
Independent resource — not affiliated with any U.S. government agency. Last reviewed: June 2026.
This guide is a supporting article in our pillar resource covering all housing violations, every federal agency, and all 50 state contacts.
How to Report a Landlord or Housing Violation: Complete U.S. Guide →Rules and complaint offices vary by state. Use our state lookup to find the correct reporting agency, phone number, and complaint portal.
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