Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Louisiana
I am a monthly at will tenant. I am having a problem with neglect with my landlord. I don't have any electricity in half of my house. I have asked him to fix the wiring over a year ago but he never has. Around that time last year a woman's wall right next to the rooms that are out caught on fire. She said it was from bad wiring. Now I don't know what to do.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Given that you are a month-to-month tenant, either you or your landlord can simply end the lease with 10 days' notice that you do not intend to stay. That being said, Louisiana law does allow a tenant whose landlord refuses to make necessary repairs to "repair and deduct". What that means is that, after you have given your landlord notice of a needed repair IN WRITING, if the landlord refuses to make the repair within a reasonable time, you can hire a professional to make the repairs, keep the receipt, then deduct the amount of the repair from your rent by giving your landlord a copy of the receipt.