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Does the landlord need to replace the A/C if not working properly in florida
Anonymous3 views3 answers
i was wondering if a badly working air conditioner in a residental rental, must be fixed by the landlord. also is there a time in which it must be done by. the a/c works but instead of costing 100-120 monthly its causing 300-350 monthly in bills, strictly because it is 13 years old and not big enough for the unit, and no longer pushing air properly. in the winter when the tenants stopped using the a/c their bill went to 75 dollars a month. please give me advicew on what can be done to make the landlord provide new a/c unit. which he has stated he wont until it completely stops running.. thank you
The answer to your question depends on the wording of your lease. If the lease does not cover air conditioning maintenance, there in no legal requirement in Florida that the landlord provide air conditioning. If you are unsure of your rights, you should consult an experienced real estate lawyer in your area.
Your lease will provide the answer to this question. If repairs are the responsibility of the tenant, then the responsibility is yours. If repairs or the AC in particular is the responsibility of the landlord, then there are things you can do if the landlord declines to make the proper repairs. If the lease is silent, there is no state law requiring air conditioning.
Depending on the wording of your lease, you may have the right to withhold rent for the amount of the repair for the a/c. But you have to provide the landlord with proper notice as required by Florida law (statutes). You should know, however, the law in this area is unclear, and there are issues about proving your right to make the repair (i.e., it was reasonable, and done by legitmate contractor, helpful to have several bids for repair, etc.) Try to use this information to negotiate with the landlrod and achieve the repair without hiring a lawyer.
