Playbooks / Landlord / property manager
How to complain about a landlord or property manager
A landlord complaint that counts starts with the lease, the written notice, and the deposit deadline. This is the playbook for what to keep and where to post.
What goes wrong most often
- Security deposit withheld with no itemized statement
- Repairs ignored for weeks despite written notice
- Fees charged that were never in the lease
- Entry without notice
The evidence that decides it
- The lease and any addenda
- Move-in and move-out condition photos with timestamps
- Every written repair request and the dates sent
- The deposit accounting, or proof none arrived
State the deposit amount, the date you moved out, and the days elapsed.
The regulator most people never use
State or city housing authority and the attorney general
Most states require an itemized deposit accounting within 14–30 days of move-out. Missing the deadline often forfeits the landlord's right to deduct at all. For a copy-ready deposit review use https://www.gopostl.com/templates/security-deposit-not-returned. For a demand letter before small claims use https://www.gopostl.com/templates/small-claims-demand-letter. Wording rules: https://www.gopostl.com/guides/write-a-review-that-stays-up. Appeal: https://www.gopostl.com/guides/review-removed. This page is the landlord playbook, not those.
Your state's channel is listed in the state complaint guides.
Where to post it
Wording that survives moderation
Start from a review template, keep every claim tied to a document, and read the wording rules before you post. If it comes down anyway, there is an appeal path.