A bad landlord can wreak havoc in a tenant's life, causing financial problems and stress. Landlords who enter foreclosure, who refuse to make repairs or who maintain properties with dangerous code violations all pose problems to renters. The county of Milwaukee takes code violations and other bad landlord behavior seriously, and there are several ways for a tenant to report a bad landlord.
Instructions
1. Gather evidence of the landlord's wrongdoing. This includes letters you have received from or sent to your landlord and photos of damage to the property. Research Milwaukee's rules governing landlord-tenant relationships (see References), and be prepared to cite the specific code section your landlord has violated. Landlords have numerous responsibilities, including making timely repairs, ensuring the house meets the building code, respecting a tenant's privacy and following proper eviction proceedings.
2. Report the violation to the Department of Neighborhood Services. Your landlord may be subject to a fine if he has violated state or county landlord-tenant laws. Contact the enforcement division at 414-286-3860. If the problematic landlord is someone else's landlord who is causing problems in the neighborhood, report them to the zoning enforcement program at 414-286-2557.
3. Contact an attorney if you need help filing a lawsuit against your landlord, fighting an eviction or determining what to do if your landlord is in foreclosure. There are several free organizations providing legal aid to tenants with landlord problems (see Resources).
