Repair Documentation Checklist
This free checklist helps you keep an organized, dated record of a repair problem — the photos, messages, and timeline of what happened when. It works alongside your own texts, emails, and notices to your landlord, never in place of them, and it's an organization aid for your records, not legal advice.
Educational — information, not legal advice. Print or save it free.
Use this alongside your messages — not instead of them: keep your original texts, emails, and notices, and always report the problem to your landlord through your normal channels. This checklist organizes that record; it doesn't replace it.
- Photograph and video the problem clearly, including any visible cause.
- Note the date you first noticed the issue.
- Submit your repair request in writing, even if you also call or text.
- Keep a copy of the written request and the date you sent it.
- Describe the problem specifically: location, what's wrong, and any safety concern.
- Note who you contacted, how, and when, for every follow-up.
- Save any reply from your landlord or property manager, including texts and emails.
- Photograph the issue again if it worsens or spreads over time.
- Keep records of any related costs you incur, such as temporary lodging or damaged belongings.
- Note in writing any missed or rescheduled repair appointments.
- Photograph the completed repair once it's finished.
- Check your state's rules on repair timelines and tenant remedies (the app shows them).
- Store every photo, message, and note together in your Renter Shield evidence vault, organized by date.
- Use Renter Shield's letter generator to send a clear, professional written follow-up if the repair is delayed.
Keep your records in one place.
Renter Shield stores your photos, receipts, and messages in a private, time-stamped evidence vault — free to start.
Related free resources
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How to use this checklist
- Report the problem to your landlord through your normal channels first — this checklist never replaces that.
- Print this page or save it to your phone when a repair issue starts.
- Photograph the problem with dates, and keep every message about it in one place.
- Add each new event — a reply, a visit, a fix attempt — to your record as it happens.
- If the problem affects health or safety, contact your local code-enforcement office or free legal aid.
Common questions
Is this repair checklist legal advice?
No. It's an organization aid for keeping a clear record of a repair problem. Renter Shield publishes legal information and tools, not legal advice; it is not a law firm, and this page is not attorney-reviewed.
Do I need an account to use it?
No. It's free to read, print, or save with no account, and nothing you fill in or print is sent to us.
Does this replace telling my landlord about the problem?
No. Always report the problem to your landlord through your normal channels — texts, email, a portal, or a letter. This checklist organizes the record of that communication; it never substitutes for it.
About this tool
Renter Shield is a renter-protection app: state-specific rights information, deadline reminders, a private on-device evidence vault, and calm, professional letter drafts. This checklist is one of its free tools — it stays free, with or without the app.
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Private by design: everything on this page stays with you. Nothing you check off, fill in, or print is sent to us.
Your copy: you may print or share this page for personal use. Not legal advice.
Printing for others: schools, housing offices, legal-aid programs, and community organizations are welcome to print and set out unmodified copies of this checklist for the people they serve, with attribution to rentershield.app. Doing so does not imply any partnership with or endorsement by Renter Shield.