What Repairs Do I make as the Landlord?

A question as old as the first ever rental cave. You own the cave, should you, as the landlord, address the leaking cave ceiling? The answer is I have no idea. Homeownership and laws didn’t exist back in those times, but they sure do now. As a landlord, it is very important for you to know what you are legally responsible for. Keep in mind this may differ by each state. We are located in Florida and will break down a few of the topics and best practices that you can employ for your rentals.

Appliances

When it comes to appliances you are required in Florida to have an operating Range and Refridgerator, that is it. Nothing else is required for kitchen appliances. Tenants are not required by law to have microwaves, dishwashers, disposals, etc. HVAC and Hot Water Heater are obviously required by the state of Florida, but not technically kitchen appliances. The major caveat to this is the law of replacement. Meaning that if you are the landlord and your dishwasher goes out and you don’t want to fix it. You leave it there, it is drained but not functioning at all. If you rented the home with a functioning dishwasher to a tenant you are legally responsible to replace the dishwasher or have it repaired.

If you refuse to repair or replace you could give the tenant reparations for an unworking appliance. The tenant can still demand the unit to repaired or replaced, if and only if, they rented the property with a working unit and there were no other terms stating otherwise. In Lehmans terms, if they started with it, they should finish with it.

When it comes to washer and dryer units, I recommend to my clients that they do not provide maintenance on them. Washer and dryers are not required but often get left behind in rentals. It might help a young renter who doesn’t have a ton of cash to have units in the home. Don’t get rid of them, just “gift” them and make sure it is written in the lease as no maintenance covered on washer and dryer.

Structural

This section won ‘t take long, you are responsible for the roof, the walls, the flooring, the fixtures, operational plumbing, windows, porches, heating, locks and keys, doors, electrical system, foundations, cooling, and lastly, the extermination of wood destroying organisms. Could these items differ depending on the agreement between you and the tenant? Of course, they can. These are the typical things that the landlord is responsible for. It is still your home and you are required by Chapter 83 of Florida Statutes (Landlord Tenant Law) to keep the home in a fair rentable condition. If any clients of mine don’t feel this is fair, they won’t be clients for long. As a property management professional to a landlord, let the property management handle things and allow them to do their jobs. They will keep the tenant happier and you out of court.

Upgrades vs. Replacements

How to increase your bottom line when bad things happen. Let’s be honest, eventually, you are going to want to sell this property right? When something goes bad, like a fridge, stove, microwave, etc. I need you to do two things. Number one, don’t think “Ugghhh, this rental always costs me money!” It may cost you money, but this an opportunity to make more money. When something goes bad, think “OOOOH, I can upgrade the home and make more money on the lease!” Instead of settling for the cheapest appliance at your local used appliance place, get a nice new range that maybe costs 600-700 dollars and sometimes they can be cheaper.

Let the tenant know that if you get them a new one, that the rent will go up next time the lease is up for renewal. This rental increase may be 25 to 50 dollars. Always give the tenant a choice in this if you are contemplating getting the nice appliance. They may be happy with a cheap used one and that is ok. If you give tenants a choice in the matter they tend to feel tied to a home for a longer period of time. Vacancy is our worst enemy, so if we can keep tenants happy and increase the rent at the same time, it will pay off in the end.

Always try and take advantage of poor situations and turn them for the better. Things will go bad, get old, rust, break (sometimes by the tenants), and crack. This is inevitable. Turn these items into a positive rather than a negative. It will make your management of the property go smoothly and the tenant will more than likely be much happier in their time in the unit.