# Is the Landlord Responsible for Broken Heat? (Rental Repairs) | Who Pays the Repair?

> Working heat is a near-universal habitability duty landlords must maintain, with limited exceptions for tenant-caused damage.

**Who pays:** landlord

Landlord, working heat is one of the most universally protected habitability items in the country.

**Boundary:** 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.

**Exceptions:** Tenant-caused damage to heating equipment; Lease terms

## Sources
- [California Civil Code § 1941.1](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1941.1.) — "Heating facilities that conformed with applicable law at the time of installation, maintained in good working order." (accessed 2026-09-27)
- [Arizona Revised Statutes § 33-1324 (Landlord to maintain fit premises)](https://www.azleg.gov/viewdocument/?docName=https://www.azleg.gov/ars/33/01324.htm) — "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..." (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-09-27. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/landlord-responsible-broken-heat/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._