| Every time you enter into any legal, contractual | | | | possibly even sending them the bill. |
| agreement, you are bound by the requirements | | | | When it comes to day-to-day maintenance like |
| laid out in the agreement that you signed. So, | | | | small repairs, light bulbs, faucets and other minor |
| before you sign your next lease, make sure you | | | | tasks, don't assume anything. Always ask before |
| understand who does what when it comes to | | | | you take on a project, and never assume that |
| rental property maintenance and not only what's | | | | your landlord is going to foot the bill. |
| expected of you as a tenant, but also what you | | | | Appliances |
| can expect from your landlord. For more details, | | | | If the appliances are included as part of the rental |
| keep reading. | | | | property, then they are your landlord's |
| Grounds Maintenance | | | | responsibility. That means if the stove stops |
| Typically, in most apartment-style dwellings, the | | | | working or the fridge starts blowing hot air, it's |
| landlord or property management company is | | | | your landlord's responsibility to have it fixed or |
| responsible for maintaining the grounds of the | | | | replaced. |
| property. From mowing the lawn to watering the | | | | On the flip side, if you damage the appliances |
| gardens, this falls under the super or landlord's | | | | through either vandalism or gross negligence, you |
| task list. | | | | will likely be held liable for their costs. |
| However, if you're renting from a smaller | | | | Cleaning |
| property or are in a single-dwelling home, | | | | Typically, day-to-day cleaning and maintenance of |
| maintaining the grounds may be your responsibility. | | | | the property is the tenant's responsibility. Failure |
| Before you sign a lease or rental agreement with | | | | to keep the property clean could mean you're |
| a landlord, make sure you understand who's going | | | | responsible for paying for any subsequent |
| to shovel snow off the sidewalks, salt the | | | | damage. |
| walkways when there's ice, mow the lawn and | | | | Structure and Utilities |
| take care of the outside property. | | | | Ownership of problems with the structure of the |
| Day-to-Day Maintenance | | | | house, delivery of utilities like heat and water, or |
| Typically, the breakdown of day-to-day | | | | the house is simply not up to code, belong to the |
| maintenance is going to come down to what you | | | | landlord. |
| and your landlord have agreed to in your lease. | | | | If you have concerns about the general structure |
| Some property management firms don't even | | | | and standards of a house, consult your state and |
| want you to change a light bulb without first calling | | | | local tenancy acts to find out what your landlord |
| them and having it properly expensed. Meanwhile, | | | | must provide in terms of minimum housing |
| other landlords ask you to take on small | | | | standards. |
| maintenance tasks like a squeaky door and | | | | |