questions & answers

Question: We've been renting our house for 5 years and our AC/Heat bills have always been high. We just found out that the garage that our landlord converted into a bedroom has no insulation. Does this room legally need to be insulated? And if so, is he responsible to refund us a portion for the unusually high bills?

Answer: Under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, landlords are required to (among other things) “comply with the requirements of applicable building codes materially affecting health and safety” (A.R.S. 33-1324). If the city or town or county in which your rented house is located has a building code containing insulation requirements, then your landlord may be in breach of his obligations under the law and potentially liable for the additional costs that you have incurred as a result. You may wish to determine what your local building code requires then speak with your landlord. If your landlord refuses to cooperate, then you can always speak with an attorney. There are links to free and low-cost legal services on this website.