Flint Hills Tenants United is a local grassroots organization of diverse renters from the Flint Hills area of Kansas. Our mission centers on fostering solidarity among tenants, promoting fair housing practices, and striving for a community where everyone has access to safe, affordable, and equitable living conditions.
We do this through supporting the establishment of tenant associations, providing education on tenant rights, and sharing resources for regaining autonomy in the struggle toward holding landlords and property management companies accountable.
Resources
Learn about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
Steps you can take to protect yourself as a tenant and to hold your landlord accountable.
Connect with community resources, other renter associations, tenant unions, and other ogranizations working toward housing justice.
Learn about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
It is important that you know your rights and that starts with reading your lease thoroughly. A landlord is legally obligated to provide a safe and habitable living environment for their tenants. Some leases cover the basics that are required by federal, state, and local laws, others provide more rights to the tenant. It is important that you understand your lease and what it means for what you and your landlord can and cannot do, according to state and local laws.
After you have read your lease, read the Kansas Tenants Handbook. It is important to understand that you are the expert on your experience as a tenant. Another great resource is this Kansas Legal Services essential information guide. It is a must read!
Other important and relevant resources are listed below:
Kansas State 2019 Statute, Chapter 44, Article 10.16 Kansas Acts Against Discrimination (Renting)
Have you had a picky landlord who doesn’t ever get on maintenance requests? Or maybe they swiped your security deposit, and you can’t get it back? Landlords often take advantage of tenants because they don’t know the law. So what should you do if you find yourself in a position where you think that your landlord has violated your lease agreement or is not following federal, state, and local law when it comes to their obligations as the owner of your property?
Know your rights You will want to start by reading and understanding your lease agreement that you signed. You have a legal right to a safe and livable home. Kansas law requires landlords to make timely repairs and maintain essential services. If your unit has problems like broken plumbing, no heat, or unsafe wiring—and your landlord refuses to act— they may be violating your rights. Keep written records of all requests and take photos to document the issue.
You’re not alone–talk to your neighbors If your landlord isn’t responding to maintenance requests, chances are your neighbors are facing the same issues. Talk to each other. Create a group chat. Share experiences. Compare what you’ve been told and what has (or hasn’t) happened. This builds the groundwork for a tenant association—a powerful first step toward collective action. Problems that landlords ignore individually are often addressed when tenants organize together.
Organize as a tenant association A tenant association is a group of renters in the same building or property who unite to demand safe and fair housing. As a group, you can draft a shared list of concerns, meet with the landlord together, or bring public attention to the issue. Flint Hills Tenants United can help you get started.
Make all requests in writing When you make any requests to your landlord or property management company or have any conversations with them, follow up with them in writing. Be clear, specific, and document everything. Send a letter or email that includes the date, the problem, and a deadline for response. Kansas law doesn’t require written requests—but they create a paper trail, which is crucial if things escalate.
Collective action gets results Landlords often delay or deny repairs until tenants push back—together. You have the right to form a tenant association, hold meetings, and advocate for yourselves. You are protected from retaliation for organizing. Flint Hills Tenants United can support you with resources, organizing help, and know-your-rights education.
The following forms can be used for various actions you may need to take, due to a breach of contract with your landlord. They range from demanding your landlord fix basic safety issues, to getting your security deposit back, to breaking your lease for other necessary reasons. Please keep a copy of every single form, message, agreement, etc., for your records should you have to go to court. Shout out to Paul Shipp and Kansas Legal Services for working with us on these issues!
Rental Property Iventory & Condition Form
Complete this form within five days of moving in. All items are presumed to be in good condition unless noted otherwise. Test all locks, window latches, smoke detectors, and equipment. The form is not a repair request. Submit all requests for repairs separately using a maintenance request.
A tenant should use this form after they move in and discover the rental unit is not in compliance with K.S.A. 58-2552, 58-2553 and 58-2560(b).
5 Day Notice of Termination of the Rental Agreement Form
A tenant should use this form if landlord fails to deliver the rental unit in accordance with the rental agreement and K.S.A. 58-2552, 58-2553, and 58-2560(b). When a landlord does not deliver a rental unit that is in compliance the tenant has the write to terminate the lease agreement.
Demand for Return of Security Deposit Form
Always used after the tenant has vacated and given the landlord the keys to the rental unit.
Maintenance Request - Common Area Form
Sometimes rental units, like apartment buildings, have common areas that need to be maintained. A common area might be a lobby, elevator, community room, sidewalk, stairwell, dumpster, pool, playground, yard, etc.
Maintenance Request - For the Rental Unit Form
A tenant should use this form whenever a repair is needed to the rental unit occupied by the tenant.
14/30 Day Notice of Landlord Noncompliance Form
This form should be used when repairs needed are so essential that the failure to repair them will cause health and safety issues; the tenant should be ready to threaten termination of the least agreement. This type of situation is one where the problem is materially affecting the health and safety of the occupants.
If the the landlord attempted to make a good faith effort to fix a problem described in a prior 14/30 Notice and the problem again arises the tenant may give the landlord this notice and terminate the lease.
If there has been a natural disaster or some catastrophic event beyond control of anyone that makes it impossible for occupancy to continue.
Connect with community resources, other renter associations, tenant unions, and other ogranizations working toward housing justice.
Kansas Housing Resources Corporation
Housing and Urban Development, Kansas Page
Cats’ Cupboard (Food assistance)
Common Table (Free meals served every day at 6pm at the Lincoln Center at 901 Poyntz Ave. in Manahattan)
The Crisis Center (Domestic violence and sexual assault support)
Flint Hills Breadbasket (Food assistance)
Harvesters Community Food Network (Mobile food pantry, click link to see locations.)
Konza Prairie Community Health Center (Free and discounted healthcare)
Laundry Love (Free monthly laundry service)
Manhattan Emergency Shelter (Housing insecurity)
Manhattan Free Clinic (Free healthcare)
Nourish Together (Food assitance)
Pawnee Mental Health Services (Mental healthcare)
Shepherd’s Crossing (Financial assistants - rent and utilities)
Thrive! (Education and support)
Flint Hills Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America
Kansas City Tenants (City-wide tenant union for Kansas City)
Renters Together LFK (Lawrence, KS Tenant Union)
Tenant Union Federation (Global union of tenant unions)
Activist | Scholar | Educator
Hailing from Ohio, Derron is a higher education professional who is passionate about collective liberation. He believes in the power of commmunity building across difference through interpersonal connections rooted in authenticity, trust, and grace.
As a PhD student in Kansas State University' Adult Learning and Leadership program, Derron is interested in radical philosophies of education, focusing on social epistemology, liberatory praxis, information literacy, and the impact that settler colonization and neoliberalism have on adult learning.
When not working, studying, or doing research, one can find Derron volunteering and organizing in his community. He serves as the New Generations Director for the Konza Manhattan Rotary Club, Secretary for the Flint Hills Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, and is organizing a tenet union with Renters Together.
Derron enjoys working at his garden plot at the Manhattan Community Garden, reading epic fantasy fiction, crafting, playing cozy video games like "Animal Crossing" or "Disney Dreamlight Valley," and studying and discussing linguistics and language.
Learn about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
It is important that you know your rights and that starts with reading your lease thoroughly. A landlord is legally obligated to provide a safe and habitable living environment for their tenants. Some leases cover the basics that are required by federal, state, and local laws, others provide more rights to the tenant. It is important that you understand your lease and what it means for what you and your landlord can and cannot do, according to state and local laws.
After you have read your lease, read the Kansas Tenants Handbook. It is important to understand that you are the expert on your experience as a tenant. Another great resource is this Kansas Legal Services essential information guide. It is a must read!
Other important and relevant resources are listed below:
Kansas State 2019 Statute, Chapter 44, Article 10.16 Kansas Acts Against Discrimination (Renting)
Have you had a picky landlord who doesn’t ever get on maintenance requests? Or maybe they swiped your security deposit, and you can’t get it back? Landlords often take advantage of tenants because they don’t know the law. So what should you do if you find yourself in a position where you think that your landlord has violated your lease agreement or is not following federal, state, and local law when it comes to their obligations as the owner of your property?
Know your rights You will want to start by reading and understanding your lease agreement that you signed. You have a legal right to a safe and livable home. Kansas law requires landlords to make timely repairs and maintain essential services. If your unit has problems like broken plumbing, no heat, or unsafe wiring—and your landlord refuses to act— they may be violating your rights. Keep written records of all requests and take photos to document the issue.
You’re not alone–talk to your neighbors If your landlord isn’t responding to maintenance requests, chances are your neighbors are facing the same issues. Talk to each other. Create a group chat. Share experiences. Compare what you’ve been told and what has (or hasn’t) happened. This builds the groundwork for a tenant association—a powerful first step toward collective action. Problems that landlords ignore individually are often addressed when tenants organize together.
Organize as a tenant association A tenant association is a group of renters in the same building or property who unite to demand safe and fair housing. As a group, you can draft a shared list of concerns, meet with the landlord together, or bring public attention to the issue. Flint Hills Tenants United can help you get started.
Make all requests in writing When you make any requests to your landlord or property management company or have any conversations with them, follow up with them in writing. Be clear, specific, and document everything. Send a letter or email that includes the date, the problem, and a deadline for response. Kansas law doesn’t require written requests—but they create a paper trail, which is crucial if things escalate.
Collective action gets results Landlords often delay or deny repairs until tenants push back—together. You have the right to form a tenant association, hold meetings, and advocate for yourselves. You are protected from retaliation for organizing. Flint Hills Tenants United can support you with resources, organizing help, and know-your-rights education.
The following forms can be used for various actions you may need to take, due to a breach of contract with your landlord. They range from demanding your landlord fix basic safety issues, to getting your security deposit back, to breaking your lease for other necessary reasons. Please keep a copy of every single form, message, agreement, etc., for your records should you have to go to court. Shout out to Paul Shipp and Kansas Legal Services for working with us on these issues!
Rental Property Iventory & Condition Form
Complete this form within five days of moving in. All items are presumed to be in good condition unless noted otherwise. Test all locks, window latches, smoke detectors, and equipment. The form is not a repair request. Submit all requests for repairs separately using a maintenance request.
A tenant should use this form after they move in and discover the rental unit is not in compliance with K.S.A. 58-2552, 58-2553 and 58-2560(b).
5 Day Notice of Termination of the Rental Agreement Form
A tenant should use this form if landlord fails to deliver the rental unit in accordance with the rental agreement and K.S.A. 58-2552, 58-2553, and 58-2560(b). When a landlord does not deliver a rental unit that is in compliance the tenant has the write to terminate the lease agreement.
Demand for Return of Security Deposit Form
Always used after the tenant has vacated and given the landlord the keys to the rental unit.
Maintenance Request - Common Area Form
Sometimes rental units, like apartment buildings, have common areas that need to be maintained. A common area might be a lobby, elevator, community room, sidewalk, stairwell, dumpster, pool, playground, yard, etc.
Maintenance Request - For the Rental Unit Form
A tenant should use this form whenever a repair is needed to the rental unit occupied by the tenant.
14/30 Day Notice of Landlord Noncompliance Form
This form should be used when repairs needed are so essential that the failure to repair them will cause health and safety issues; the tenant should be ready to threaten termination of the least agreement. This type of situation is one where the problem is materially affecting the health and safety of the occupants.
If the the landlord attempted to make a good faith effort to fix a problem described in a prior 14/30 Notice and the problem again arises the tenant may give the landlord this notice and terminate the lease.
If there has been a natural disaster or some catastrophic event beyond control of anyone that makes it impossible for occupancy to continue.
Connect with community resources, other renter associations, tenant unions, and other ogranizations working toward housing justice.
Kansas Housing Resources Corporation
Housing and Urban Development, Kansas Page
Cats’ Cupboard (Food assistance)
Common Table (Free meals served every day at 6pm at the Lincoln Center at 901 Poyntz Ave. in Manahattan)
The Crisis Center (Domestic violence and sexual assault support)
Flint Hills Breadbasket (Food assistance)
Harvesters Community Food Network (Mobile food pantry, click link to see locations.)
Konza Prairie Community Health Center (Free and discounted healthcare)
Laundry Love (Free monthly laundry service)
Manhattan Emergency Shelter (Housing insecurity)
Manhattan Free Clinic (Free healthcare)
Nourish Together (Food assitance)
Pawnee Mental Health Services (Mental healthcare)
Shepherd’s Crossing (Financial assistants - rent and utilities)
Thrive! (Education and support)
Flint Hills Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America
Kansas City Tenants (City-wide tenant union for Kansas City)
Renters Together LFK (Lawrence, KS Tenant Union)
Tenant Union Federation (Global union of tenant unions)
Activist | Scholar | Educator
Hailing from Ohio, Derron is a higher education professional who is passionate about collective liberation. He believes in the power of commmunity building across difference through interpersonal connections rooted in authenticity, trust, and grace.
As a PhD student in Kansas State University' Adult Learning and Leadership program, Derron is interested in radical philosophies of education, focusing on social epistemology, liberatory praxis, information literacy, and the impact that settler colonization and neoliberalism have on adult learning.
When not working, studying, or doing research, one can find Derron volunteering and organizing in his community. He serves as the New Generations Director for the Konza Manhattan Rotary Club, Secretary for the Flint Hills Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, and is organizing a tenet union with Renters Together.
Derron enjoys working at his garden plot at the Manhattan Community Garden, reading epic fantasy fiction, crafting, playing cozy video games like "Animal Crossing" or "Disney Dreamlight Valley," and studying and discussing linguistics and language.
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