ABA Family Legal Guide

Renting Residential Property

Maintaining Rental Property

Repair and Deduct

What is repair and deduct?

Repair and deduct is a law that permits the tenant to hire someone to make repairs and then to deduct the cost from the rent. State or local law may only cover repairs that are required to keep the premises habitable, such as the repair of a broken furnace or a leaking plumbing pipe.