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How long does a landlord have to fix or replace a broken refridgerator?
Anonymous5 views3 answers
The fridge stopped working on a Friday. We contacted the LL on Saturday morning. He said it wouldn't be until Monday until we got a new fridge, because the appliance store charges extra for same day/ or weekend delivery.
RCW 59.18.070 states that a landlord must begin to remedy the situation with in 72 hours of written notice. The important aspects of this statute is that the tenant is required to provide written notice to the landlord, and that the landlord must start to correct the situation with in 72 hours of the notice. If you made a written complaint on Saturday and you receive your fridge today, the issue should be resolved.
"We contacted the LL on Saturday morning" probably means you called the landlord. Under the WA Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, notices generally must be written. Unwritten notices (such as phone calls) usually do not count as proper notices under the RLTA.
As a practical matter, if you own the home and there is an extra charge for weekend delivery, would you be rushing to buy a new refrigerator on the weekend?
Seventy-two hours. But you have to tell him in writing or it doesn't count. It isn't your problem that the store charges extra to deliver on the weekend; it wasn't you that planned to lose the fridge on a Friday. Frankly, if you lost food, I think paying for the replacement of your accidentally defrosted food is something you should bargain out when you end this tenancy. Do not deduct from next month's rent.
Hope this helps.Elizabeth Powell
