North Carolina Repair Request Letter to Landlord
A free North Carolina repair request letter to landlord that follows North Carolina law. Fill in the boxes, check the rules below, then print or copy it. Keep a copy and proof of how you sent it.
What North Carolina law says
| Repair and deduct | No statutory repair-and-deduct remedy. Tenant's remedies for breach of the landlord's repair duties are by civil action; tenant may not unilaterally withhold rent before a court determination. Source: N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-42, 42-44 |
|---|---|
| Withholding rent | Not allowed: the tenant may not unilaterally withhold rent before a judicial determination of a right to do so. Rent and the landlord's fit-premises duties are mutually dependent, so a tenant may seek rent abatement/damages in court (including as a counterclaim). |
| Landlord retaliation | Protected acts: good-faith repair requests/complaints to the landlord, complaints to a government agency about health/safety/housing code violations, a government agency's formal complaint, good-faith efforts to enforce lease or legal rights, and tenant-organizing. Tenant may raise retaliation as a defense if the eviction is substantially in response to a protected act within 12 months before filing; if proven, the court denies ejectment. |
| Heat | Yes. The landlord must keep heating facilities in good and safe working order (after written notice of needed repairs, except emergencies), and lack of operable heating facilities capable of heating living areas to 65°F when it is 20°F outside, from November 1 through March 31, is an imminently dangerous condition requiring prompt repair. |
| Mold | No mold-specific statute, but excessive standing water, sewage, or flooding caused by plumbing leaks or inadequate drainage that contributes to mold is an 'imminently dangerous condition' the landlord must repair within a reasonable time after actual knowledge or notice. The general duty to keep the premises fit and habitable also applies. |
Fill in your letter
Nothing you type leaves your browser. Replace anything still highlighted. If a lease, city rule or court form requires different wording, that controls.
To: [landlord or manager name], [landlord address]
From: [your name], tenant at [rental address]
I am asking you to repair the following problems at my rental: [describe each problem, where it is, and when it started].
I first reported this on [date first reported] by [phone, text, email, portal or letter].
Please make these repairs by [date]. You may enter to make repairs after giving the notice required by law; times that work for me: [access times].
North Carolina law protects tenants from retaliation for asking for repairs (N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-37.1, 42-37.2).
Date: [today's date]
Tenant: [your name]
Signature: ____________________
How to send it: use a method you can prove — certified mail with return receipt, or email/text if your lease allows notices that way. Write down the date.
Repair Request Letter to Landlord templates for other states · All North Carolina landlord-tenant rules · Free legal help in North Carolina
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.