terrified to report a "backlog" of major repairs to my landlord, how do I handle this?
Hey everyone, I’m in a really bad spot and I’ve been spiraling about this for a week. I live in a 1-bedroom with my 4-year-old son, and I’ve let a bunch of maintenance issues pile up because I was honestly just scared of getting in trouble or being seen as a "problem tenant." But it’s gotten to the point where it’s not safe anymore and I don't know how to handle the conversation.
Basically, the stove completely fried itself. The breaker blew, the stove wouldn't shut off, and it literally melted the knobs and burned itself out. It’s a total loss. On top of that, the electrical in the whole place has been acting up for a while and I'm worried the stove failing is part of a bigger issue.
Then there’s the bathroom. The tub barely drains! I can’t even shower for a minute without it filling up, and when I bumped into the cap under the faucet, it just popped off and I realized the pipe behind it isn't even connected to the tub properly. Also, the wall vent just fell out of the wall because it looks like it was just held in by layers of old paint and not actually screwed in. I’m terrified that if I send this list over now, the landlord is going to blame me for the stove melting or the pipe being disconnected, even though I didn’t do anything to cause it. I just wanted to avoid the conflict but now I feel like I'm in over my head. How do I tell them all of this at once without looking like I'm the one who trashed the place? Has anyone else dealt with "repair anxiety" like this? I just need to get this fixed for my kid's sake but I'm paralyzed. Any advice on how to word the email so I don't get in trouble or charged a fortune? TLDR: my apartment is slowly falling apart since I moved in a few months ago and I'm afraid to report the issues due to the fear of them being blamed on me when it's just from everyday use.
Posted Feb 25, 2026, 9:02 PM UTC