Websites and articles for renters looking for help related to landlord-tenant issues and eviction.
More often than not, tenants who have a dispute with their landlord or who are facing eviction don't have legal assistance. Even when the stakes are high, most tenants either can't afford a lawyer or can't find a lawyer willing to take on their case. However, you might be able to find a willing legal aid lawyer or pro bono lawyer. Here are some suggestions on how to conduct that search.
The information provided on this page is intended to help tenants help themselves. It includes guidance on finding legal (and other) assistance, understanding the law, and asserting rights.
Websites That Can Help Tenants
Government agencies and nonprofit organizations are usually the best sources of assistance for tenants. Because most laws that affect tenants are at the state or local level, you'll likely want to connect with a local resource—preferably one that's located in your city or county. The resources below are mostly national organizations, but they can often connect you with local resources.
Sites for Finding Low or No-Cost Legal Assistance
| Organization | Overview |
| American Bar Association legal help finder | "Programs to help people of modest means obtain legal help." A state-by-state list of local legal resources provided by the American Bar Association. |
| Legal Services Corporation | Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress to provide financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. On LSC's website, you can enter an address or city to find an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you. |
| LawHelp.org | "LawHelp helps people of low and moderate incomes find free legal aid programs in their communities, answers to questions about their legal rights, and forms to help them with their legal problems." |
| HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agencies | The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sponsors housing counseling agencies throughout the country. Although many agencies on this list focus on providing assistance to homeowners, most either provide counseling to renters as well or can point you in the direction of a local renter-focused agency. |
| National Fair Housing Alliance | The National Fair Housing Alliance works to eliminate housing discrimination and to ensure equal housing opportunity for all people. On its website, you can search for local fair housing resources and find links to legal information. |
| National Disability Rights Network | Provides services to people with disabilities, handling housing problems and many other aspects of community living. |
Other Useful Sites for Renters
| Organization | Overview |
| RentAssistance | RentAssistance provides a directory of rental assistance agencies and organizations that help tenants pay rent. |
| 211.org | 211 is a comprehensive source for local social services information. You can contact your local 211 for help with housing, emergency shelter, and paying utility bills, along with almost any other essential need you have. |
| Benefits.gov's Housing and Public Utilities Assistance | Benefits.gov lists federal housing resources and organizations that can help renters pay for utilities. |
| Just Shelter Community Resources | Just Shelter works to raise awareness of the human cost of the lack of affordable housing in America. Its website has a searchable database of community housing resources. |
| NeighborWorks America's Network Directory | NeighborWorks is a congressionally chartered and funded nonpartisan nonprofit. Its website has a state-by-state directory of housing organizations it works with. |
| HUD's Resource Locator | This is a searchable map for finding local affordable housing opportunities, HUD offices, public housing authorities (PHAs), homelessness resources, affordable elderly and special needs housing, and other housing-related resources. |
| National Housing Law Project Resource Center | The National Housing Law Project's mission is to advance housing justice. Its resource center provides information about federal housing programs and federal housing laws. |
| Volunteers of America | Volunteers of America creates and manages low- and moderate-income housing for the homeless, families with children, the elderly, veterans and their families, and people with physical and mental disabilities. |
| Mercy Housing is a national nonprofit that develops, preserves, and manages program-enriched, affordable housing for a variety of low-income populations. | |
| If you believe you have experienced illegal housing discrimination and would like to file a federal complaint, you can do so online through this website. This site also provides information about how to file a federal fair housing complaint by email, phone, and mail. | |
| EPA's information for renters about lead-based paint | Federal law requires that before signing a lease for housing built before 1978, renters must receive certain disclosures about lead-based paint. Learn about renters' rights regarding lead-based paint and get a copy of the disclosures at this website. |
| The Humane Society's information for renters with pets | The Humane Society of the United States offers suggestions on finding pet-friendly housing and how to present your pet's best qualities to a prospective landlord (write a resume!). Includes tips on responding to complaints and your rights if your landlord wants your pet to leave. |
| The National Center for State Courts | Many landlord-tenant disputes are filed in state trial or small claims court. Use this site to find the court that handles landlord-tenant matters near you. |
| National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel | A growing number of areas are passing laws entitling individuals to legal representation in civil matters such as evictions and landlord-tenant disputes. The National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel has a map where you can look up the status of the right to counsel in housing matters where you live. |
| Legal Help for Veterans by the VA's Office of General Counsel | The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs maintains a page for legal help for vets, with links to organizations and pro bono attorneys in your state. |
Information for Renters From Nolo
Below you'll find links to articles and forms for tenants on Nolo.com. You'll also see links to relevant articles on one of sister sites, Lawyers.com.
Charts on State Landlord-Tenant Laws
Nolo's state landlord-tenant law charts are comprehensive. They give you:
- citations for key statutes and cases, which you can use if you want to read the law yourself or look for more information, and/or
- summaries of the state rules themselves, such as notice periods and deposit limits—in other words, what the statutes and cases say.
Click on the links below to access the chart relating to the legal issue you're facing.
- The deadline by which your landlord must return your security deposit.
- How much your landlord can collect for a security deposit.
- When your landlord can access your rental unit.
- When your landlord can require you to move out right away (unconditional quit notices).
- What your landlord can do with property you abandon at the rental.
- When your landlord can terminate your tenancy due to your violation of the lease.
- Whether your landlord must try to rerent your rental when you move out early.
- Whether you can withhold rent or deduct from your rent when your landlord won't make repairs.
- Your landlord is retaliating against you.
- When your landlord can terminate your tenancy due to failure to pay rent.
Answers to Tenant FAQ
Nolo's authors and editors have written hundreds of articles relating to tenants' rights and landlord-tenant law. Here we've compiled some of the questions most frequently asked by tenants and linked to our article that answers the question.
- Answers to FAQ about security deposits
- How much can my landlord charge for a security deposit?
- What can I do to make sure I get my security deposit back in full and on time?
- What can my landlord deduct from my security deposit?
- How long after I move out does my landlord have to return my security deposit?
- What should I do if my landlord hasn't returned my security deposit or wrongfully withheld money from my deposit?
- Can I sue my landlord for keeping my security deposit?
- Answers to FAQ about what to do when your landlord won't make repairs
- Is my landlord responsible for making repairs in my rental?
- What repairs am I responsible for in my rental?
- Is my landlord required to provide me with a livable rental?
- What can I do when my rental is uninhabitable?
- Can I withhold rent when my landlord doesn't make repairs?
- Can I deduct the cost of repairs I make from my rent?
- Answers to FAQ about paying rent
- What should I do if I can't pay my rent?
- Do I have a grace period for paying rent?
- What can my landlord do if I don't pay rent?
- Can my landlord increase my rent?
- Can my landlord charge me a bounced check fee?
- Can my landlord charge me a late rent fee?
- Can my landlord evict me for not paying rent?
- Answers to FAQ about evictions
- What is an eviction?
- Can my landlord shut off my utilities?
- Did my landlord serve me with the right eviction notice?
- Can I sue my landlord for illegally evicting me?
- Answers to FAQ about housing discrimination
- What kind of housing discrimination is illegal?
- Should I file a fair housing complaint?
- How do I file a federal fair housing complaint?
- If I am a member of a protected class, is it illegal for a landlord to refuse to rent to me?
- Can I be refused a rental because of my criminal record?
- Answers to FAQ about problems with roommates
- What should I know before I rent a place with roommates?
- Should I have a written agreement with my roommate about rent and other topics?
- My roommates haven't paid their share of rent. What do I do?
- My roommate wants to move out, but our lease isn't over. What do I do?
- My roommate moved out without telling me first. What do I do?
- How do I get a roommate to move out?
- Answers to FAQ about breaking your lease or rental agreement
- What should I do if I need to move out before my lease expires?
- If I move out before my lease expires, does my landlord have a duty to try to rerent the unit?
- Can I move out of my rental before the lease expires if the rental is uninhabitable?
- Can I sublet my apartment?
- Answers to FAQ about renting with pets
- Can my landlord charge me a pet deposit or fee?
- I'm disabled. Can I bring my service animal into a rental that has a no-pets policy?
- Answers to FAQ about smoking in your rental
Information About Suing or Being Sued in Small Claims Court
- How much can I sue my landlord for in small claims court?
- What are the rules in small claims court?
- How long after I move out can I sue my landlord?
- Where can I get more information about suing or being sued in small claims court?
Updated December 16, 2023
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