How To Report A Landlord In New Mexico

Before signing a lease on a rental, you have probably done everything you can to ensure you will be living in a comfortable, safe home. However, sometimes you may learn too late that the property you chose is not up to health and safety codes or the landlord who owns the property acts inappropriately or illegally. Fortunately, you have rights as a renter that allow you to get out of these situations.

If you are a renter in New Mexico, there are laws in place to protect you from an abusive landlord or an uninhabitable home. You do not have to continue living in a property that feels dangerous and you do not have to put up with a landlord that does not respect landlord-tenant laws. This DoNotPay guide will walk you through how to recognize reasons to and the steps necessary to successfully file a complaint and even end your lease.

Reasons To Report A Landlord In New Mexico

There are plenty of reasons to report a landlord in New Mexico. Some of the reasons may relate directly to the property. If you have problems with your rental property that you did not cause, your landlord is liable to repair them. You can report your landlord if your property:

Has pest or mold problems that the landlord hasn't addressed
Has utilities that are broken or don't work, such as faulty electrical wiring or heating systems that haven't been addressed or repaired by your landlord
Has plumbing issues, such as leaking pipes, pipes that don't function properly, or unmitigated water damage that your landlord hasn't fixed
Has structural issues, such as a damaged roof, damaged walls or beams, or any structural problems for which you are not at fault

Under New Mexico law, you can also report your landlord if they:

Shut off any of your utilities in an attempt to illegally evict you
Change the locks on the home in an attempt to keep you out
Discriminate against you in any way
Abuse or harass you in an illegal way
Remove any of your personal belongings from the property, unless done so after a legal eviction has taken place

How To Report A Landlord In New Mexico On Your Own

The steps toare not made entirely clear on any state or county websites. While there are a few options to help you learn more about your rights as a tenant, none of these describe the steps to report or file a complaint against a landlord. However, most states suggest you reach out to your attorney general to begin the process. You can start by:

Visiting the New Mexico Attorney General website
Selecting Consumer Complaint Instructions
Filling out a Consumer Complaint Form

This website states clearly that the New Mexico Attorney General may not be able to directly help you handle landlord/tenant disputes, but will likely refer you to another agency.

Know Your Rights As A Tenant

There have also been a few hotlines set up by the state that you can call for advice if you are experiencing problems with your rental property or landlord regarding evictions, repairs, and getting your security deposit back. They include:

Law Access New Mexico - 1-800-340-9771
Landlord & Tenant Hotline - 1-505-930-5666

The New Mexico Health Department provides a Renter's Guide that details what to expect as a renter and how to protect your rights.

Landlord-tenant laws describe the rights and responsibilities both landlords and tenants must follow:

Landlord

Tennant

Maintaining properties in habitable condition — that is, a safe, livable home including a roof that doesn't leak, adequate heating and plumbing, and necessary locks

Following the Lease Agreement
Making repairs in a reasonable amount of time
Properly handling security deposits
Notifying the tenant if and when they must enter the property
Treating tenants equally, in compliance with federal, state, and local Fair Housing regulations

Paying rent and any utilities on time
Following the Lease Agreement
Notifying the landlord of needed repairs, especially ones that may cause property damage
Abiding by the law
Giving your landlord proper notice (xx days minimum in State) if you plan to move out

Because there is little information about how to report a landlord in New Mexico, this task may seem very daunting to you. However, this is not an issue you have to take on by yourself. DoNotPay has a Landlord Protection product that can help you easily and successfully report a landlord without having to try to figure out how to do it by yourself.

DoNotPay Can Help

DoNotPay is here to guide you if you need to report a landlord in New Mexico. Our Landlord Protection product will help you:

Get your security deposit back
Learn about your rights under New Mexico eviction laws
Write demand letters to your landlord for property repairs
Resolve disputes with roommates through small claims court
Get your of your lease early

If you want to report your landlord, break your lease, or sue for your security deposit but you aren't sure where to start, DoNotPay can help you with these simple steps:

Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
Select which issue applies to you.
Answer a simple set of questions so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.

What Else Can DoNotPayDo?

DoNotPay has years of experience helping our clients successfully tackle all kinds of issues, both legal and nonlegal. Our products are designed to take the hard work out of everyday tasks. A few of our services can even help you: