10. Can I report the owner if the apartment is unlivable?

Yes. Let's say the furnace has not worked for six weeks in the middle of winter -- and the owner won't fix it, in spite of all your phone calls and letters. In this case, you can report the owner to a housing or building inspection department. What if there are rats or mice in the building? Maybe garbage sits around for a week at a time. Then, you should call the county or city health department. A lot of trash in the hallways could be a fire hazard. In this case, you can report the owner to the fire department. The government department you call may give the owner a written notice to correct the problem within 60 days. If there is no improvement in that time, you can sue the owner.