# California Rental Plumbing Repair: Landlord or Tenant Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> In California the landlord must keep plumbing, hot and cold water and heat working (Civil Code 1941.1). Only tenant-caused damage shifts to the renter.

**Who pays:** owner

In California, the landlord, not the tenant, pays to repair plumbing, running water and heat: they are habitability essentials under Civil Code §1941.1, and only tenant-caused damage shifts the cost to the renter.

**Boundary:** Civil Code § 1941.1 makes a dwelling untenantable if it substantially lacks working plumbing/gas facilities in good working order, a water supply capable of producing hot and cold running water, and working heating facilities. Because these are habitability essentials, the landlord's duty to repair attaches to them and cannot be shifted to the tenant by lease.

**Property owner:** ("Owner" here is the landlord/property owner.) Repair and maintain the enumerated habitability systems, plumbing, water supply, heat, weatherproofing, electrical, in good working order.

**City / agency:** Not a public/municipal duty, this is landlord-vs-tenant. The tenant is responsible only for damage caused by the tenant's own neglect or abuse (Civ. Code § 1941.2), not for ordinary wear or system failure.

**Exceptions:** Damage caused by the tenant (or their guests) is the tenant's responsibility (Civ. Code §1941.2); The tenant must give the landlord notice of the defect

## Sources
- [California Civil Code § 1941.1](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1941.1&lawCode=CIV) — "Plumbing or gas facilities that conformed to applicable law in effect at the time of installation, maintained in good working order... A water supply approved under applicable law... capable of producing hot and cold running water... Heating facilities that conformed with applicable law at the time of installation, maintained in good working order." (accessed 2026-09-11)
- [California Civil Code § 1941 (landlord duty to repair)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1941&lawCode=CIV) (accessed 2026-09-11)
- [Cal. Civil Code § 1941.1: Untenantability](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1941.1&lawCode=CIV) — "(1) Effective waterproofing and weather protection of roof and exterior walls, including unbroken windows and doors. ... (5) Electrical lighting, with wiring and electrical equipment that conformed with applicable law at the time of installation, maintained in good working order." (accessed 2026-09-27)
- [Cal. Civil Code § 1941.2: Tenant's affirmative obligations](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1941.2&lawCode=CIV) — "(4) Not to permit any person on the premises, with his permission, to willfully or wantonly destroy, deface, damage, impair or remove any part of the structure or dwelling unit or the facilities, equipment, or appurtenances thereto, nor himself do any such thing." (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-09-11. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/california-landlord-tenant-who-pays-plumbing-repair/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._