Legal Case - Mental Agony + Lost Job?

Most of the answers to your questions are going to depend on what exactly the terms of your lease were and what actions you and the landlord took when the problems happened. Look into your state housing laws and read your lease very carefully to see who was responsible for what and if the state has defined things like a reasonable time period for fixing the heat. Depending on what exactly you signed and what the laws of your state are, you may have a case. There are almost certainly laws about verifying the costs of repairs withheld from your deposit and things like that. Speak to your local housing authority and/or to a lawyer if your close reading of your lease and the laws of your state indicate support for your position.