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Renter's Aid: renter's rights in plain language

Key first steps, phone lines, and sample letters for renters anywhere in the US. Free for everyone, no account needed.

Last reviewed: October 27, 2026

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A calm, plain-spoken guide for US renters in any state. It explains your lease in plain words and helps with security deposits, repairs, fees, rent increases, eviction notices and fair housing. It walks you through move-in and move-out with a photo checklist, and helps you spot rent and payment scams. It cites official sources and drafts letters for you to review and send yourself. Not a lawyer, and not financial aid. It points you to free legal aid and local rental help.

Not legal advice. Not affiliated with HUD or any government agency. This page shares general information and links to official and established sources. Renter rules are different in every state and city. Always check your own state's rules, or talk with free legal aid through LawHelp.org, the free legal aid finder.

Scam safety: If you get a surprise text, email, call, or chat message asking for rent, a deposit, or a payment to a new account, don't tap its links or call its number. Check it with your landlord or property manager at the number in your lease (relay: dial 711), and report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

  1. A notice on your door

    • A notice is not an eviction. In general, only a court can legally make you leave.
    • Don't ignore it. Keep a copy, and write down the deadline and the amount it says you owe.
    • Notice periods depend on your state, so check your state's rules.
    • If you can pay, pay in a way you can prove and get a receipt. If you can't, call 211 (relay: 711) and ask about rental assistance.
    • Contact free legal aid: find legal aid on LawHelp.org.

  2. Eviction court papers

    • Don't skip the hearing. If you don't go, the court will almost always rule against you automatically. This is called a default judgment.
    • Some states require a written answer within a short time, so check the deadline on your papers right away.
    • Call free legal aid today, and look for your court's self-help center. Many courts have free help on the day of the hearing.

  3. Locked out by your landlord

    • In many states, changing the locks without a court order is an illegal lockout. Check your state's rules.
    • Call the police non-emergency line (relay: 711) and say it's a lockout.
    • Take dated photos, save every message from your landlord, and contact legal aid.

  4. Security deposit not returned

    • Return deadlines and rules are different in each state. Check your state's rule.
    • Send a written demand letter that includes your forwarding address and keep a copy. See the sample deposit demand letter.
    • If they still don't pay, ask legal aid about small claims court in your state.

  5. No heat or repairs ignored

    • Don't just stop paying rent. In many places that can get you evicted, even when the landlord is in the wrong. Withholding rent is legal only in some states, and only if you follow the steps exactly.
    • Send a dated written repair request and keep a copy. See the sample repair request.
    • Take dated photos. For heat, write down the indoor temperature.
    • Call your city's code enforcement office for an inspection (relay: 711).
    • Check with legal aid before trying options like repair-and-deduct. If it's dangerously cold, call 211 (relay: 711) for emergency heating help.

  6. Service or assistance animal refused

    Under the federal Fair Housing Act, landlords generally have to make a reasonable accommodation for a service or assistance animal, even with a "no pets" rule. You can file a free complaint with HUD at 1-800-669-9777 (TTY 1-800-927-9275) or online: file a HUD fair housing complaint. Complaints must be filed within 1 year of the incident (HUD fair housing booklet, PDF). Your state may have its own civil rights agency and extra protections. More: HUD fair housing.

  7. Domestic violence and your lease

    • If you're in danger now, call 911. If you're deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability, call 911 directly by voice or TTY, or text 911 where available. TTY users should call 911 directly, not through 711. If none of those work, a video or internet relay service can still connect you to 911.
    • The National Domestic Violence Hotline is free, confidential, and open 24/7: 1-800-799-7233 (relay: 711), or text START to 88788. National Domestic Violence Hotline website.
    • Many states let survivors end a lease early with written notice and proof. Check your state's rules with legal aid.
    • If your housing gets federal assistance, the Violence Against Women Act protects you too: HUD: VAWA housing protections.

  8. Retaliation after a complaint

    • Many states protect tenants from retaliation for complaining to a government agency about health or safety problems. Check your state's rules.
    • Keep your complaint, the city's records, and any notice from your landlord, all with dates.
    • Contact legal aid. Retaliation can be a defense if the landlord tries to evict you.

  9. Job loss or can't pay rent

  10. Utility shutoff threats

    • In many states, it's illegal for a landlord to cut off your water, electricity, or gas to make you pay or move out. Check your state's rules.
    • Save the message, or write down exactly what was said and when.
    • If they do shut it off, call the utility company, your local code enforcement office, and the police non-emergency line (relay: 711 for any of these), and contact legal aid.
    • For help paying, call 211 (relay: 711).

  11. Reading the fine print in your lease

    • Before you share your lease with anyone, cover or delete Social Security, bank and account numbers.
    • Go through it one section at a time. For each one, ask: what does this say, and what does it mean for me?
    • Watch for clauses that seem unusual or unfair, like extra fees, who pays for repairs, or rules about the landlord coming in.
    • Whether a clause is allowed depends on your state's law, and some lease terms may not be enforceable. Check your state's rules.
    • Write down questions to ask the landlord before you sign, and ask for answers in writing.
    • Before you sign, if anything worries you, contact free legal aid: find legal aid on LawHelp.org.
    • The Renter's Aid bot can walk through your lease with you in plain words. It can miss things, and local rules or recent changes may apply, so treat its review as a starting point, not legal advice.

  12. Move-in and move-out photos

    Dated photos are your record of what the home looked like. They can help if there's a question about your deposit later.

    Room-by-room checklist

    • Walls and ceilings: marks, holes, cracks, stains.
    • Floors and carpet: scratches, stains, burns, loose tiles.
    • Appliances: inside and outside the fridge, oven, stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer.
    • Inside cabinets, closets and drawers.
    • Windows, screens, blinds and doors, including locks.
    • Bathroom: sink, toilet, tub or shower, tiles, caulk, fan, and any mold or leaks.
    • Any damage that's already there. Take a wide shot of the room, then a close-up.
    • Anything the landlord promised to fix. Photograph it, and keep the promise in writing, like an email or text.
    • For each photo, write the date, the room, and a short note, like "Kitchen, Oct 27, scratch on counter left of sink."
    • Take one slow walkthrough video of every room. Start by showing today's date on your phone screen.

    Check that things work

    • Test the smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, and photograph each one with the date.
    • Look for mold, pests, and leaks under the sinks.
    • Test the hot water, the water pressure, and the outlets. Write down anything that doesn't work and tell your landlord in writing.
    • Photograph the electric, gas, and water meter readings on move-in day and again on move-out day.
    • Find the main water shutoff and the breaker panel. Photograph where they are so you can find them fast in an emergency.

    Keys and paperwork

    • List every key, fob, and remote you get. Return the same list at move-out and keep a copy.
    • Ask your landlord for a written move-in condition form. Some states require one, so check your state's rules. Fill it in, have it signed, and keep a signed copy.
    • Save your landlord's emergency repair contact in your phone, and ask what counts as an emergency.
    • Think about renter's insurance. A landlord's insurance usually doesn't cover your belongings, and some leases ask for it. Check your lease, and compare plans before you choose.

    Make a timestamp

    • On move-in day, email the photos and notes to yourself and to your landlord or property manager. The sent email gives you a date from outside your phone.
    • Keep the photos in more than one place, and keep a copy of any move-in checklist the landlord gives you.

    At move-out

    • Clean first, then take the same shots from the same spots, and compare them with your move-in photos.
    • Give your landlord your forwarding address in writing, and keep a copy.
    • Email the move-out photos to yourself and the landlord too.
    • If your deposit isn't returned, mention your dated photos in a written letter. See security deposit not returned and the sample deposit demand letter. Deposit rules differ by state, so check your state's rules or ask free legal aid on LawHelp.org.

    Smart thermostat wiring

    • Before you touch the thermostat, take a clear photo of the wires and the letter labels on each terminal. Wiring is different from home to home.
    • Check your lease or ask your landlord in writing before you replace the thermostat.
    • If you do replace it, keep the old one and put it back when you move out.
    • Turn off the power at the breaker before you take anything off the wall.
    • Stop and call your landlord if the wires are thick or the label says 120V or 240V. That is line voltage and can be dangerous.
    • Follow only the install guide from your thermostat's maker, on the maker's own website.

    Smart devices at move-out

    • If you installed any smart devices, like a thermostat, doorbell, or lock, factory-reset each one and remove it from your account.
    • Put the landlord's original devices back.

  13. Phone lines

    If you're deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, dial 711 to reach any of the numbers below except 911 through relay.

    • Emergency: 911. Call 911 directly by voice or TTY, or text 911 where available. TTY users should call 911 directly, not through 711. If none of those work, a video or internet relay service can still connect you to 911.
    • Local help and rental assistance: 211 (relay: 711)
    • HUD fair housing complaints: 1-800-669-9777 (TTY 1-800-927-9275, or relay: 711)
    • National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (relay: 711), or text START to 88788
    • Police non-emergency and code enforcement: look up your local numbers (relay: 711)

  14. Sample letters

    Fill in the brackets. Keep a copy of every letter and write down the date and how you sent it. Check your state's rules before you send.

    Repair request

    [Your name]
[Your address and unit]
[Phone or email]
[Date]

[Landlord or property manager name]
[Landlord address]

Re: Repair request for [your address and unit]

I am writing to ask for a repair. The problem is:
[describe the problem, for example: no heat / a leak under
the kitchen sink].

It started on [date]. I first told you on [date] by [phone /
text / email].

Please fix this by [date]. Let me know when someone will come,
and I will make sure they can get in.

I have photos dated [dates] and can share them.

Thank you,
[Your name]

    Security deposit demand

    [Your name]
[Your forwarding address]
[Phone or email]
[Date]

[Landlord or property manager name]
[Landlord address]

Re: Return of security deposit for [old address and unit]

I moved out of [old address] on [date] and returned the keys
on [date]. I paid a security deposit of $[amount].

I have not received my deposit or a written list of
deductions. Please send my deposit to the forwarding address
above by [date].

I understand that [state] law sets rules for returning
deposits: [your state's rule, from an official source].

Sincerely,
[Your name]

    Payment plan request

    [Your name]
[Your address and unit]
[Phone or email]
[Date]

[Landlord or property manager name]
[Landlord address]

Re: Payment plan for rent at [address and unit]

I am behind on rent because [for example: I lost my job on
(date)]. I want to stay in my home and pay what I owe.

I owe $[amount]. I am asking for a payment plan:
$[amount] on [date], then $[amount] each [week / month]
until it is paid, along with my regular rent.

I have applied for help from [program, if any].

Please reply in writing by [date].

Thank you,
[Your name]