Start here
The free tool below runs entirely in this browser — no account, nothing stored or transmitted. Redact anything you would not want kept before you type it.
Open the companion tool →Why the log changes the legal position
Local rules usually require written notice and a reasonable time before any self-help remedy. The log is what proves both happened.
Do not withhold rent or deduct costs before checking your local rules — the tactic is powerful and easy to use incorrectly.
The protocol
- Write the first date you noticed the problem and photograph it with a date reference.
- Send a written repair request and keep a copy; repeat monthly if nothing happens.
- Record each call: date, who you spoke to, and what was promised.
- Note the specific effect — a room you cannot use, a utility cost, a health concern.
- Check your local rules on repair-and-deduct and code complaints, then choose a route.
What the tool does
Build a repair escalation log It runs locally in this browser and sends nothing.
Limit first: This is a documentation aid for a tenant or applicant, not legal advice. It cannot block an eviction, compel a repair, or guarantee a screening outcome.
Open the companion tool →Cost and free path
Cost: Free: one complete run in this browser, no account. Optional $4 one-time unlock allows unlimited runs of this tool on this browser. The free path and safety guidance never require payment.
Rule status (mixed route): Status, 2026-10-03: repair-and-deduct and code-enforcement remedies are local; written notice and a reasonable time are prerequisites in most jurisdictions, so the log must show both.
Automated decision this documents: automated maintenance triage and landlord records
Free path, in order (no cost):
- Your city's code enforcement or building inspections office (free to file)
- A tenants' organisation or fair-housing centre for advice on local remedies
- LawHelp.org for free legal aid before withholding rent
What this cannot do: It cannot block an eviction, compel a repair, or guarantee a screening outcome.
Sources checked 2026-10-03 · source bank reviewed against the live pages listed in metadata.
One human next step
Send written notices and give the statutory time; if the repair still does not happen, file a code complaint with your city and ask a tenants' organisation or legal aid about repair-and-deduct before acting.
Research log and safety checks
AI-assist path: not used for a verdict. This builder organises the reader's own documents and names an independent source; it does not infer authenticity, eligibility, or legal rights. §6.9/§6.10/§6.11 disclosed in the batch report; §6.12 status line carried in metadata as `status_line`.
§0.5 protection result: category is housing-and-rent-costs; crisis-adjacent: no; fear/urgency/scarcity toolkit used: no. The protective function is free and the paid feature is convenience only.