Housing Laws

Wisconsin’s housing laws offer various protections to victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.

First, if you properly notify your landlord about the abuse and provide certain documentation, you can break your lease without penalty.¹ For more information, go to Under what circumstances can I break my lease?

Second, your landlord may be required to change your locks or allow you to do so.² See What documentation do I need to give the landlord to get my locks changed? for more information.

Third, a person cannot refuse to sell or rent a home to you, refuse to renew your lease, harass you, or evict you just because you or someone in your household is:

• a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, repeated acts of sexual assault of a child, or stalking; or
• believed to be a victim of any of the above even if it’s not accurate.³

Fourth, if the landlord sues you for eviction based on violating your lease, you may have a defense to the eviction case.⁴ See What happens if my landlord tries to evict me? for more information.

¹ Wis. Stat. § 704.16(1)
² Wis. Stat. § 704.16(4)(a), (4)(b)
³ Wis. Stat. § 106.50(1m)(u), (2)
⁴ Wis. Stat. § 106.50(5m)