Do I still have to pay my rent if the manager or landlord are negligent in fixing things in my apartment like the plumbing?

Normally the answer is yes. However, a tenant has remedies for a landlord who refuses to repair defects in a premises. You may contact the local Health Dept. or Building & Safety and lodge a complaint or request an inspection. Where the landlord does not respond within a reasonable time (the reasonable time depends on the severity of the defect) a tenant may have the repair done and pay for the repair by deducting it from the rent up to a month's rent. A tenant must give the landlord a reasonable amount of time to make the repair after giving notice of the defect. Such a notice should be in writing if possible.