Washer Dryer Use & Repair

[Sarah Nguyen]

I am willing to supply the washer & dryer in each duplex units for tenant use and convenience only but I don't want to deal with the associated repairs.  Am I allowed to make the tenant responsible for the repairs when the appliance stops working?  Same for the garage opener.  Please help with a sample statement to put in the lease.  Thanks

[Andrew Johnson]

@Sarah Nguyen For what it's worth, you might be asking for trouble!  If there's a washer that leaks a little bit when it runs you might then have a tenant that doesn't tell you because they don't want to pay for a repair.  What difference does it make to them if there's a little leak, some water spilled here and there, it's not there house after all.  Now I'm making up the 1/100 case but there are times when you want to repair things for the good of the property and the fiscal downside could be worse for you as the owner.  Not to mention if you put a used washer/dryer in the unit and it breaks, what do you do?  Charge the tenant?  Couldn't they say that you gave them a washer/dryer on their last legs?  There really isn't much of a way to prove anything either way.  Anyway, there are just a lot of potential small hassles that go along with your plan.  Either provide them (and maintain them) or don't.  Trying to straddle the line probably won't end up well.  Or maybe it will :-)