If the repair is yours to pay
Get more than one quote before you agree to a price, and ask the contractor to confirm where the property line and the public side begin.
Repair-request & landlord/tenant forms (LawDepot)Templates for a notice to repair, security-deposit demand, and more.
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Default rule and exceptions
Working heat is a habitability item in the statutes quoted here; the landlord must maintain heating facilities in good working order, unless the tenant's own damage broke the equipment.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Landlord | Must supply and maintain heating facilities and reasonable heat as required by law. |
| Tenant | Owns repair costs only if their own damage or misuse broke the heating equipment. |
| Exceptions | Tenant-caused damage to heating equipment; Lease terms |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 27, 2026.
Heating facilities that conformed with applicable law at the time of installation, maintained in good working order.
Supply running water and reasonable amounts of hot water at all times, reasonable heat and reasonable air-conditioning or cooling where such units are installed and offered, when required by seasonal weather conditions...
Common questions
Who pays for rental repair: broken heat in Nationwide, US?
The landlord. Must supply and maintain heating facilities and reasonable heat as required by law.
Are there exceptions in Nationwide, US?
Tenant-caused damage to heating equipment; Lease terms
What is this based on for Nationwide, US?
This verdict is sourced to California Civil Code § 1941.1 and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- California Civil Code § 1941.1statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-27
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 33-1324 (Landlord to maintain fit premises)statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-27
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