Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

questions & answers

Question: Are landlords obligated in letting the tenant know how to work the gas and electricity?

Answer: Under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, landlords are required to provide their tenants with utilities (A.R.S. 33-1324) and to explain to their tenants how they will be charged for those utilities (A.R.S. 33-1314.01). Under the Arizona Mobile Home Parks Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, landlords are required to provide their tenants with access to utilities (A.R.S. 33-1434) and also to explain to their tenants how they will be charged for those utilities (A.R.S. 33-1413.01). Given these requirements, landlords have a duty to ensure that their tenants can actually obtain the benefit of the utilities. A tenant whose landlord is failing to meet that duty may wish to ask the landlord in writing, keeping a copy for the tenant’s own records. If the tenant wishes to seek legal advice, there are links to free and low-cost legal services on this website (at http://www.azlawhelp.org/accessToJustice).