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
North Carolina landlords must make all repairs necessary to keep the premises fit and habitable and keep common areas safe, under N.C. General Statutes Section 42-42.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Landlord | Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition, and keep all common areas safe (N.C.G.S. Section 42-42(2)-(3)). |
| Tenant | May be billed by the landlord for the actual and reasonable costs of repairs that are the fault of the tenant, even for an imminently dangerous condition the landlord had to repair. |
| Exceptions | The landlord may recover from the tenant the actual and reasonable costs of repairs that are the fault of the tenant, even though the landlord must still repair or remedy an imminently dangerous condition within a reasonable period of time. |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Oct 23, 2026.
(2) Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition. (3) Keep all common areas of the premises in safe condition.
(4) Maintain in good and safe working order and promptly repair all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and other facilities and appliances supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord
(8) Within a reasonable period of time based upon the severity of the condition, repair or remedy any imminently dangerous condition on the premises after acquiring actual knowledge or receiving notice of the condition. Notwithstanding the landlord's repair or remedy of any imminently dangerous condition, the landlord may recover from the tenant the actual and reasonable costs of repairs that are the fault of the tenant.
City rules rest on state law. Read North Carolina's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for rental / landlord-tenant repair in Statewide, NC?
The landlord. Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition, and keep all common areas safe (N.C.G.S. Section 42-42(2)-(3)).
Are there exceptions in Statewide, NC?
The landlord may recover from the tenant the actual and reasonable costs of repairs that are the fault of the tenant, even though the landlord must still repair or remedy an imminently dangerous condition within a reasonable period of time.
What is this based on for Statewide, NC?
This verdict is sourced to N.C. General Statutes Section 42-42 - "Landlord to provide fit premises" and 3 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- N.C. General Statutes Section 42-42 - "Landlord to provide fit premises"statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-23
- G.S. 42-42 - Landlord to provide fit premisesstatute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-23
- N.C. General Statutes Section 42-42 - "Landlord to provide fit premises"statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-23
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