Water Leaks and Repairs in Rome: What to Do When Your Landlord Goes Silent

In a nutshell

When you have a serious problem in your flat — water coming through the ceiling, a broken boiler, electrical wiring that's out of code — your landlord is legally required to fix it. If they go silent, there is a clear procedure to protect you. The worst thing you can do is stop paying rent: that can get you evicted, even if you're completely in the right.

At a glance

Cost	Registered letter: €7–10 · Mediation: €40–80 (free with low ISEE) · Tenants' union membership: €30–80/year
Timeline	Formal notice: landlord has 15–30 days to act · Mediation: up to 3 months · Civil court: 12–24 months
Where in Rome	SUNIA (Via Buonarroti 51), SICET (Via Po 20), Chamber of Commerce (mediation), Tribunale di Roma (Viale Giulio Cesare 54bis)
Documents you need	Dated photos/videos of the damage, copies of all correspondence, repair invoices, your lease

Who pays for what

The Italian Civil Code (artt. 1575–1576) draws a clear line between landlord and tenant responsibilities.

The landlord is responsible for anything structural or related to wear and tear over time: leaks from the roof or terrace, replacing the boiler or window frames, bringing electrical and gas systems up to code, and any repairs caused by normal ageing of the property.

The tenant handles routine maintenance: changing lightbulbs, replacing washers and small tap fittings, the annual boiler service (including the bollino blu certification), and clearing drain blockages caused by normal use.

Many leases include the CONFEDILIZIA-SUNIA schedule of accessory charges. If yours doesn't, the default rules are art. 9 of Legge 392/1978 and art. 1576 of the Civil Code.

A few common Rome scenarios: a ceiling leak is always the landlord's problem (art. 1578 c.c.) — unless the damp is caused by poor ventilation on the tenant's part, in which case you'll need an independent technical assessment. Replacing the boiler falls on the landlord; the annual service and bollino blu certification fall on you. Pipework inside the walls is the landlord's responsibility; a dripping tap is yours.

Step-by-step procedure

Step 1 — Document everything and give an informal heads-up

The moment you spot the problem, take photos and videos with timestamps visible. Contact the landlord by phone or WhatsApp and keep screenshots of the exchange. If there's no response within seven days, move on.

Step 2 — The formal written notice (diffida) by registered mail or certified email

The diffida (formal written demand) is the essential first legal step — skip it and nothing that follows will hold up in court. In the letter: describe the problem precisely, cite artt. 1575, 1576, 1578 of the Civil Code, set a firm deadline of 15 days (30 for complex works), and state clearly that if they ignore it you will either carry out the repair yourself or pursue legal action.

Send it by raccomandata A/R (registered letter with return receipt, €7–10 at the post office) or by PEC (Posta Elettronica Certificata — Italy's legally valid certified email) if you have the landlord's PEC address. Keep the return receipt: it is proof they received the notice.

Step 3 — Self-repair and deducting the cost from rent

If the landlord still doesn't act after receiving the formal notice, art. 1577 c.c. lets you have the urgent repairs done yourself and deduct the cost from the rent. Important conditions: this only works for urgent repairs that are clearly the landlord's responsibility; the diffida must already have been sent; you must keep invoices made out in your name; the cost must be reasonable (get at least two quotes); and you must notify the landlord via registered letter that you carried out the work.

Do not stop paying the full rent outright. If your rent is €800 and the repair cost €300, pay €500 and attach a note to the bank transfer referencing the deduction.

Step 4 — Rent reduction or contract termination

If the damage makes part of the flat unusable — say, a bedroom rendered uninhabitable by severe water ingress — you can request a proportional rent reduction under art. 1578 c.c. You cannot decide this unilaterally: it requires either a written agreement with the landlord or a court ruling. In the most serious cases, where the flat becomes genuinely uninhabitable, you can seek termination of the lease and compensation for damages.

Step 5 — Mandatory mediation

Before you can go to court, the law requires you to attempt mediation first (DLgs 28/2010, art. 5). Without this step, a judge cannot hear the case. You file a request with a body registered with the Ministry of Justice. They summon the landlord within 30 days and the process must conclude within three months. In Rome you can use the Organismo di Mediazione della Camera di Commercio or other accredited private bodies. The filing fee is €40–80 plus a fee based on the value of the dispute; people with a low ISEE (Italy's income and wealth indicator used to assess eligibility for means-tested benefits) can access it free of charge.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Stopping rent payments without a formal notice on record. The Italian Supreme Court (Cassazione) treats this as a serious breach of contract justifying eviction — even if the landlord is in the wrong. Never do it without following the formal procedure first.
2. Carrying out structural work without authorisation. You can only self-repair urgent issues that are the landlord's responsibility. Unauthorised structural work can strip you of any right to reimbursement.
3. Relying on calls and WhatsApp messages alone. These have no legal weight. For any communication that matters, always use a registered letter or PEC.

Special cases

The landlord is unreachable or has died. Go to a tenants' union with all your documentation. You can serve notice on the heirs via the Anagrafe (civil-registry office at the municipality) or ask the court to appoint a special administrator (curatore speciale).

The property is managed by ATER (formerly IACP — public housing). The process is different for social housing: send all reports directly to ATER Roma (Via Cesare De Lollis 22, 00185 Rome). Tenants' unions have dedicated desks for public-housing tenants.

There is a serious health or hygiene problem (extensive mould, contaminated water). Report it to the competent ASL Roma (Azienda Sanitaria Locale — your local public-health authority), specifically the UOC Igiene degli Insediamenti Urbani unit. They can carry out an inspection and declare the property uninhabitable — that document is powerful evidence in court.

There is an immediate danger (structural collapse risk, gas leak). Call 115 (Vigili del Fuoco — fire brigade) or 112. Their incident report is official proof of the hazard.

Your tenancy is off the books (affitto in nero). You still have legal protections: you can request late registration of the lease, with any penalties falling on the landlord, and obtain a court-set rent reduction.

Official sources

• Italian Civil Code (Normattiva)
• SUNIA — National Tenants' Union
• Agenzia delle Entrate (Italy's tax-revenue agency) — Rental contracts
• Ministry of Justice — Civil mediation

Legal references: Codice Civile artt. 1575–1581, 1218, 1453, 1455; Legge 392/1978; Legge 431/1998; DLgs 28/2010 art. 5; DLgs 149/2022.