Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Repairs and Unsafe Conditions

Landlord Won't Make Repairs in Pittsburgh: What Can I Do?

This is not legal advice. We explain what the law says. We cannot tell you what to do in your situation. For that, talk to a lawyer. Find free legal and rent help in Pittsburgh.

Your landlord can take you to court.

If you hold back rent, pay less, or take repair costs out of your rent, your landlord can file an eviction case for unpaid rent. If the judge rules for your landlord, you can owe the rent and court costs and have to move out. Your proof matters. Even a case you win can show up when you apply for a new place. Get legal help first.

From Housing Equality Center of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania law says your landlord must give you a home that is safe, sanitary, and fit to live in. Your lease cannot take this away. This page covers what Pittsburgh and Allegheny County add. That includes the city's property maintenance code and 311 complaints to Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI). It also includes county rent escrow and the county law against retaliation. For the full Pennsylvania rules, including repair and deduct, rent cuts, moving out, and defenses in eviction court, see the Pennsylvania guide.

What your landlord has to fix

  1. Pittsburgh also has its own property maintenance code, on top of the state warranty of habitability (the legal promise that your home is fit to live in). The city adopted the International Property Maintenance Code to set standards for safe, clean homes fit for use. The Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections, called PLI, enforces this code.

    Sources:
    1. § 1004.01, Adoption and Purpose, City of Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances. Law.
    2. Code Enforcement, Frequently Asked Questions, City of Pittsburgh, Permits, Licenses and Inspections. A government guide.

Ask in writing

  1. Tell your landlord about the problem and ask for the repair in writing. A text, an email, or a letter all work. Keep a copy. You must give your landlord a reasonable chance to fix the problem before you use stronger steps.

    Sources:
    1. Warranty of Habitability, Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network. A nonprofit group.
    2. Part IV.C, Maintenance, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.
    Tip.

    Keep a copy of every letter you give your landlord, and keep your mail receipt. Save the texts and emails you send your landlord, and any replies.

    Tip.

    Take photos of each problem, with the date. Take more if it gets worse.

  2. Save proof while you wait for repairs. Take photos and videos with dates. Keep every message to and from your landlord. Write down each day the problem continues. This record supports your case if the dispute reaches court.

    Source:
    1. Part IV.C, Maintenance, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.
    Tip.

    If you can pay for it, a private home inspector can check the problems. Their written report and photos help show the conditions.

Get your home inspected

  1. If your landlord will not fix a problem, you can call 311 to report it. 311 sends the complaint to the city's code inspectors in Permits, Licenses, and Inspections, or to the department in charge. Most inspections start with a call, text, or online report to 311, and each request is anonymous.

    Sources:
    1. Our editorial rules.
    2. Code Enforcement, Understanding Requests for Compliance, City of Pittsburgh, Permits, Licenses and Inspections. A government guide.
    Think before you call an inspector.

    You or a neighbor can ask the city to send a code inspector. Be careful: if the home is in very bad shape, the inspector can condemn it (say no one may live there). Then everyone must move out, you too, sometimes on short notice. Think about where you would go before you call.

    From PALawHELP.org (Housing Code Fact Sheet).

  2. After a 311 complaint, an inspector visits and, if there is a violation, sends your landlord a written notice with time to fix it. If your landlord does not fix it, the inspector visits again and sends a second notice. If the problem still is not fixed, PLI can file a criminal court complaint against your landlord. The complaint goes to the local magisterial district judge (a local judge who handles smaller court cases), who can order a fine.

    Source:
    1. Code Enforcement, Understanding Requests for Compliance, City of Pittsburgh, Permits, Licenses and Inspections. A government guide.

If it is still not fixed

  1. Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, bans landlord retaliation. Your landlord cannot end your lease, refuse to renew it, or change it because you asked for repairs. The same applies if you file a code complaint, legally hold back rent, join a tenant group, or talk to the media about conditions.

    Source:
    1. § 885.4(a), Allegheny County Council. An agency rule.

  2. In an eviction case, you must first show you did one of these within one year before your landlord filed the case. Then your landlord must prove it was not retaliation, with clear and convincing evidence (very strong proof). Your landlord can still overcome this if the judge finds any of these. You held back rent or failed to pay rent without a good reason. You caused significant damage to the home on purpose or through neglect. You caused significant harm to other tenants or to the property's safety or finances.

    Source:
    1. § 885.4(b), Allegheny County Council. An agency rule.

Published by Nazanin, November 11, 2026. Sources checked September 23, 2026. Is something on this page wrong or out of date? Tell us.