tenant rights in so ca

Thanks for using Avvo. I am an Avvo Staff Moderator. To read more about our moderation team, follow the link below. Our current question volume may increase the response times of our loyal Avvo lawyer-answerers. My goal is to give you some preliminary information and guidance regarding your legal situation while you wait for an attorney in your area to respond.

http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/98101-wa-avvo-moderator-1769851/aboutme.html

Depending on the severity of the problem this may be what is known as a breach of the warranty of habitability, resulting in what is called constructive eviction. In either case you will need to give your landlord notice of the issue and a reasonable opportunity to address it. If he fails to do so, you will then be in a position to terminate the lease, again assuming the infestation is a serious one.

I have linked to an excellent government primer on CA landlord tenant relations and you should be able to find guidance for what you want to do in terms of the steps and procedures to follow. You may also want to talk with a CA lawyer to get a definitive answer. You can find San Bernardino area lawyers on Avvo (some of whom offer free consultations), or use the local Lawyer Referral Service by accessing the link. There may also be low-cost legal aid services you can access through the last link I have posted.