Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

questions & answers

Question: My refrigerator has not been working to keep my food cold. How long does the landlord have to repair?

Answer: Many questions can be answered by the Arizona Residential Landlord Tenant Act (the "Act") found here: http://www.maricopacountyattorney.org/pdfs/community/Residential-Landlord-Tenant-Act.pdf Your lease may specify who is responsible for maintaining the appliances. Unless it provides that you are responsible or you provided the refrigerator, it is likely that your landlord is responsible. Please see A.R.S. 33-1324(4) which provides: 4. Maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and other facilities and appliances, including elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by him. As you can see, if the landlord provides an appliance it must be maintained by the landlord. If the landlord fails to repair the appliance, you must provide written notice as provided in A.R.S. 33-1361. If you do so, you should hand-deliver it or send it by certified mail (check your lease because it may provide a specific method for notice). The notice must set for specifically the breach (the broken fridge) and that the "rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than ten days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied in ten days". If they fix it, you are good. If they fail to, you can terminate your lease and move out. Please note that I am providing general information based on the limited information available to me. I am unable to provide specific legal advice, and this response does not create an attorney-client relationship. I wish you the best going forward.