Habitability in Wisconsin

One rule applies, with its citation below.

Research, not legal advice

These summaries are compiled from ordinance text and public sources and are dated at the point they were last checked. Rules change between checks — Newark replaced its whole registration regime in a single month — so confirm anything you are about to underwrite against the primary source or the municipal office named in the citation.

Residential repair duties cannot be waived

Wisconsinhigh confidence

Verified on 2026-09-05 — 26 days ago.

Wis. Stat. § 704.07 applies to every residential tenancy. Subject to tenant-caused damage and the section's other boundaries, it requires a landlord to maintain controlled portions and promised service equipment, make necessary structural repairs, and comply with applicable local housing codes; materially unsafe or untenantable conditions can trigger the section's removal or rent-abatement rules.

The condition, notice, cause, lease, local housing code, prompt repair, and degree of lost use matter. This entry does not calculate an abatement or authorize unilateral repair-and-deduct action.

In effect since 2018-04-18.

Sources

Wisconsin Stat. § 704.07 — repairs and untenantability — Wis. Stat. § 704.07
2017 Wisconsin Act 317 — current repair-duty amendments — 2017 Wis. Act 317 §§ 37–40, effective April 18, 2018

Every rule for Wisconsin