1 800-518-0890 WITHHOLDING RENT
Withholding all or part of your rent is a common and accepted
action that tenants undertake when a landlord is not providing
required services, but it must be done carefully.
As explained earlier, you should notify your landlord in writing
of your complaint, and allow a reasonable time for the situation
to be corrected. This notification might also include a statement
that you intend to withhold the next month's rent if the
outstanding serious problems are not resolved.
If the problems persist and you go ahead and withhold rent, you
will probably receive a "dispossess" notice, legally called a
notice of petition and petition. This is not an eviction notice.
It is your notification that the landlord is starting a non-
payment proceeding in the Housing Court.
You must answer this notice within five days of receiving it. If
you ignore a dispossess notice, you will lose your case by
default and may be evicted.