Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

questions & answers

Question: the laundry room in our complex is filthy. Inside washers very dirty. Dryers need to be cleaned. Washer and Dryers are always breaking. Everyone complains but nothing is being done to remedy the situation.

Answer: Under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, landlords are required to “make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition; “keep all common areas of the premises in a clean and safe condition”; and “maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and other facilities and appliances ... supplied or required to be supplied by” the landlord (A.R.S. 33-1324). If the rental agreement specifies that the landlord is responsible for providing the tenants with operational laundry facilities, and those facilities are not available to the tenants, then the landlord is in breach of the rental agreement. Tenants whose landlords are in breach of the rental agreement and/or the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act are always encouraged to document the problem (dates/times/etc.) carefully then deliver to the landlord a signed and dated letter describing the problem in detail and requesting that the problem be fixed as soon as possible.