When renting property to tenants, it is probable that at some point, minor and/or major repairs will have to be made. In some cases, these will simply be due to normal wear and tear. But in other instances, the cause of the damage can be neglect or abuse by those who are residing in the home.
With that in mind, when is a tenant responsible for making any necessary repairs?
Generally, if a tenant breaks or damages something – even though they are not the owner of the property – it is their responsibility to repair or replace it. This is also true if the tenant’s pet damages carpeting or other items.
On the other hand, if a system such as the HVAC or an appliance stops working (or stops working properly) due to age and/or general wear and tear, it is up to the landlord or property owner to repair or replace it.
This is particularly the case if leaving the item unattended could be dangerous or can cause other hardships to the occupants of the property – such as a leaky roof that causes water to drip on the furniture or a drippy kitchen faucet that leaks into the cabinets.
Legally, your tenant(s) have a right to “habitable living conditions,” which means that heating and air conditioning systems must work properly, wiring and plumbing should be up to code, and there are no fire hazards present. Therefore, if anything is present that could make the living area uninhabitable, the property owner has an obligation to right the situation.
If you own residential rental property in Orlando and/or the surrounding area and you would like to delegate some (or all) of the tasks associating with managing it, a property manager could be the solution.
Contact Us if you would like more details on how to partner with an experienced, local Orlando property management team that could make your life easier while at the same time serving your tenants well.