Major appliances, such as dishwashers, refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers, are expensive to repair and even more expensive to replace. But you can avoid those costly repairs and keep your appliances running longer by following a few simple maintenance tips. You don't need to be a mechanical expert to keep your appliances in perfect condition, just a little common sense and effort. Appliances are an integral part of our daily lives and malfunctions can cause major disruptions.
While our refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, ovens and stoves are designed for consistent performance, they can sometimes fail. You can prevent the most serious malfunctions by performing regular maintenance on the appliance. It's always a good idea to make a list of services and contact people you trust to make affordable and effective repairs to all your appliances. Don't forget to check if that broken appliance is still under warranty, as the approach to repairs will vary slightly.
The bottom line is that there are no general rules on who is responsible for repairing a broken appliance. In other words, anything the landlord includes about appliance repair responsibilities in the lease will generally be upheld in court. Never assume that tenants understand your approach to appliance repair without discussing it, as each landlord will handle it differently. There is no law requiring landlords to provide appliances in a rental unit, and most states do not consider the absence of appliances to violate the habitability requirements that landlords must meet.
If an appliance needs repair, review your lease agreement and report the need for repair to the landlord. You may even want to include an appliance repair addendum that outlines the details of liability. Regular maintenance of appliances can help avoid costly breakdowns, reduce energy costs, and extend the life of appliances. As there is no one-size-fits-all approach to household appliances, from providing them in the first place to keeping an inventory or list of repairs on them, many homeowners struggle with the ins and outs of household appliances. Homeowners who provide appliances can often charge a higher rent than they would if the property did not have appliances.
If the lease agreement states that the tenant is responsible for repairing the appliance from the first day of occupancy, the court will uphold it.
