questions & answers

Question: Our lease states that a clothes washer and dryer are "furnished appliances." Knowing that they would be here is part of what made us decide to move here. We discussed it with our landlord before we moved in, and he said he would have take care of it. After two months, we still don't have a washer and dryer. When I brought it up to the landlord last week, he said he didn't remember the conversation, but if I wanted, he would buy a washer and dryer, and he would let us pay it off with our rent. I looked at the lease again, just to make sure I remembered correctly, and don't understand this.

Answer: Arizona law allows you to break a lease if the landlord is not in compliance with a significant term. This seems significant. You need to give the landlord written notice that you will break the lease and move in 30 days if he doesn't get you the washer and dryer (at no charge) within 14 days. If you don't want to move, don't do that. You can also sue the landlord in Small Claims COurt for the damages you have incurred, namely laundromat costs, etc. that you had to incur because there was no washer and dryer in the unit.