Check your state on laws regarding withholding of your rent payments. The state I live in, you are advised to put your rent payments in escrow. The owner has to take you to court to get you out. The judge saw I had the back rent available and intended to pay when the issues were resolved. I showed all my emails and pictures of damages to the judge. He chastised the owner for failure to maintain the property and gave him 14 days to complete all repairs. I did not have a lawyer, didn’t need one.