Repairs and Maintenance

Landlords' Responsibilities for Repairs and Maintenance

In virtually all states, landlords must offer and maintain fit and habitable housing. This duty is known as the “implied warranty of habitability.” It means that when renting a house or apartment, the landlord is bound to an unspoken guarantee that the dwelling will be fit to live in.

State Statutes on Rent Withholding and Repair and Deduct Remedies

If a landlord fails to meet their legal responsibility to maintain rental property, tenants may respond in a variety of ways, including withholding the rent or repairing the problem (or hiring someone to do so) and deducting the cost from the rent. This chart lists state statutes on these options.

Landlord Liability for Unsafe Living Conditions

With few exceptions, tenants are legally entitled to rental property that is in good repair and meets basic structural, health, and safety standards—both when they originally rent the unit and throughout the rental term. Updated By Marcia Stewart

Landlord Liability for Tenant Injuries

Landlords are responsible for keeping their rental property safe for tenants (and their guests). Property owners who don't meet this responsibility may be liable for tenant injuries caused by unsafe or defective conditions—for example, if a tenant is injured by a fire that was caused by a broken heater in the rental unit.

Rental Property Damage & Insurance Coverage

Whether you own a single-family rental home or a large apartment complex, property insurance is crucial to protect your rental property from many types of perils. An experienced agent will analyze your rental operation and recommend a policy for you.

If my landlord refuses to make critical home repairs, am I able to contest or discount my rental payment?

Question:I have a tenant who has not paid all of his back rent. He says he shouldn’t have to since there was...

Can my Landlord require me to Pay for a Broken Heating System Repair?

My landlord is trying to charge me money to replace the heating system that had broken on its own. Am I liable for this?  

Is my landlord responsible for repairing a broken air conditioner?

Question:   Our air conditioner recently broke in the middle of summer and it is near unbearably hot here in Arizona.  We've lived here...

Are landlords responsible for smoke detectors to be functional in a rental property?

A small fire had broke out in a home that I rent. I was cooking something in the toaster oven and went upstairs. I came down just in time before the fire ...

Water Has Been Shut Off Due To Landlord Not Paying The Bills. What Recourse Does the Tenant Have?

Question: My landlord has just gone through bankruptcy and all of a sudden our water was shut off. I contacted the company and they said I’d have to pay the past 3 months' bills before the water can be turned on. The problem is that according to the rental agreement, the landlord pays for water, so the account is under my landlord's name. What should I do?

Landlord refuses to fix broken pipes and leaking roof on rental property

Question: I was relocated to northern California for my job, so rather than buy, we leased a house. The lease is for one year and it began in October. Within two months, some of the pipes froze because they were not insulated properly when the landlord did some renovations before renting.

How do I recover property damages to my rental from a tenant who ran a meth lab and is now in jail?

Question: Our tenant was apparently running a meth lab in our home and has gone to jail.  The operation caused lots of damage...

How do I get my landlord to repair mold growth in my rented home?

Question:   There is some mold growing on parts of the ceiling.   I’ve informed my landlord of this several times, yet he is not willing to fix this.   It looks very disgusting and makes my living quarters...