Asked by user in North Carolina. Answered by Enjuris Editors.
Under North Carolina General Statutes § 42-42, landlords are required to:
Comply with the current applicable building and housing codes, and
Make all repairs and otherwise do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition
To withhold rent, you need to first provide written notice of the repairs you want made. Send the notice to your landlord “certified mail with return receipt requested” so you have proof that your landlord received the notice. Then, if your landlord doesn’t fix the issue in a “reasonable amount of time,” you can withhold your rent.
I would also encourage you to consider reporting the housing violation to the appropriate housing agency or even the local fire department. The agency can investigate and then give the landlord notice of the violation and a deadline to fix the violation (typically 30 days or less). If your landlord refuses to fix the violation, he faces fines and even imprisonment.