Air conditioning is not required in CA - Landlord Forum thread 332711

Air conditioning is not required in CA by CCRider (CA) on March 27, 2015 @00:41

The habitability laws in CA do not include air conditioning. if A/C was part of your agreement, all you have to do is make a reasonable effort to get it fixed, which you did.

They are not allowed under CA law to repair and deduct in this case.

So, I'd tell them the above, and if they can't wait to go buy their own A/C unit, but if they deduct the cost from the rent, you can evict them for nonpayment of rent.

But in a nice way :-)

You could also print this out and give it to them:

http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/legal_guides/lt-8.shtml

http://dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/repairs.shtml

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Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Anonymous on March 27, 2015 @00:47	[ Reply ]

If a working a/c is in when they sign the rental agreement, the owner had better repair that thing if it breaks.

Yes, within a reasonable amount of time by CCRider (CA) on March 27, 2015 @02:02	[ Reply ]

We agree. But, the LL doesn't have to get it fixed immediately, as I said, and as is in the law I provided a link for. In fact, the state says 30 days is enough time for a repair that is not a habitability issue. I thought the issue here was whether or not the tenant could call screaming and demand a repaired A/C unit within 12 hours, or have the option to get it repaired and deduct it from the rent. The answer is no. It's completely reasonable, and legal, for the LL in this case to deal with his warranty insurance to get it repaired in a timely manner.

Re: Yes, within a reasonable amount of time by Concerned (Ca) on August 23, 2016 @19:27	[ Reply ]

Regardless if its law or not, why do people have to be immorral and unjust about this issue. Who cares of the sate law says its not required. Being a decent human regardless of law and fix the thing and make it happen yesterday wtf is wrong with u people? Dont forget Carma is a bitch !!!

Re: Yes, within a reasonable amount of time

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Peter Taylor (California) on March 27, 2015 @01:03	[ Reply ]

CC thanks for your input and yes I was aware of that. But I will make sure their AC is fix by tomorrow. BTW the central A/C was present when they moved in. But even if it had not been there I would NEVER let a pregnant woman live in a hot home. They also had never giving me any trouble and had always been on time with their rent.

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Anonymous on March 27, 2015 @01:58	[ Reply ]

Women had babies for centuries before humans invented AC.

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Anonymous on August 8, 2017 @23:33	[ Reply ]

Its incredible that a owner of an apartment building would rent a unit to a pregnant woman and not install an a/c unit. What a slumlord pig. Youll get yours scumbag. You need an ass kicking.

Very nice of you but unnecessary by CCRider (CA) on March 27, 2015 @02:06	[ Reply ]

How hot is it there? It's the 3rd week of March. Surely, it's not triple digits. You came asking if you had to let her get it repaired immediately and let her deduct it from her rent. The answer is no. Start jumping through hoops for her because she calls you screaming - and you can look forward to lots of screaming in your future. She's pregnant. Not the Queen of Sheba. Yeesh.

Re: Very nice of you but unnecessary by David (California) on July 15, 2016 @03:37	[ Reply ]

you all are lousy people to let anyone suffer with a broken air conditioner... make your tenants happy damn it! try being human beings instead of money grubbing jerks!

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Stevie (CA) on June 19, 2017 @13:12	[ Reply ]

As far as health/safety habitability requirements, you are correct, air conditioning unfortunately is not deemed a fundamental factor of habitability in the same way that heat, electricity, and water is. However, if you and your tenant have a lease agreement, and the air conditioning unit was there when they moved in, you are in breach of contract if it stops working and you don't fix it timely.

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Anonymous on June 22, 2017 @01:09	[ Reply ]

What is considered timely?

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Jennifer Ryan Jackson (California) on July 29, 2017 @16:08	[ Reply ]

We live in Riverside, CA and our ac unit has stopped working. It has been broke for almost two weeks and this next week is going to be in the 100"s. Can anyone imagine how hot t gets in our tiny overpriced apartment. Our landlords ( IE Rentals and Pama Management), will not do anything. Because they constantly change owners we do not even no who to go to or help. Our manager keeps making excuses. In addition to the ac, our toilet has been broken for a year and a half. Our "manager" keeps saying that she will put the work order in, meanwhile we have feces and urine running out from under the toilet whenever we flush. We need help and I am just wondering who do we go to, and should we start to withold the rent?

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Chris (CA) on July 7, 2017 @14:09	[ Reply ]

I have a rental where the AC is undersized and not cooling the house and causing my tenant high utility bills. My tenant keeps bugging me to replace it with the proper sized unit. I've offered to put in ceiling fans an portable AC units but the tenant is still bugging me to upgrade the system. What am I obligated to do?

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Anonymous on July 9, 2017 @03:45	[ Reply ]

Just do it. Stop being a slumlord. Do you enjoy living in sweltering conditions? I bet the answer is no.

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Unknown (California) on July 18, 2017 @19:18	[ Reply ]

What about when the AC and water heater both go out? Using a fan only moves HOT air. You can't keep a dog in a car in hot weather but people in a house that is 90 degrees is okay. This is wrong!

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by leoqueen (CA - California) on July 22, 2017 @14:57	[ Reply ]

I understand that AC are not a requirement but if I purchase a AC with my own money is my landlord aloud to say that he now owns it and if I move out the AC has to stay with the Apartment because he built a window wood platform for the AC?

Re: Air conditioning is not required in CA by Anonymous on September 4, 2017 @05:06	[ Reply ]

I just moved into this 600+ sq ft rental home that has only one ac window unit. Before I moved in, I raised the concern on whether this was a working AC that circulates the whole house. I met with the property management to view the home one morning and the unit seemed to be working fine. It was probably around the 70s that morning. Well since I moved in and it's only been a month, the temperature reached over the 100s during the day (it was 110 the last couple of days) and with the unit set to 65 degrees running all day, the house remain above the 90s. The house doesn't cool down until after 10pm. The unit doesn't adequately cool down the house. I brought this up to property management the first week I moved in. They were rude and said "we're not going to fix anything." Since then, I have the ceiling fan running in every room. I bought another ac window unit for another room and bought portable fans. Theres no circulation. The house still remains in the 90s. My kids have nosebleed from the heat. It's so stuffy in the house, we get dizzy sometimes. We can't go outside or stay indoors. The house is so loud with all the fans running. Can you imagine my electric bill? It cost the same as a home double the size as this house, but with a working AC. Not mention, my fridge working its full capacity and not completely keeping my food at the right temperature. It's 2AM right now, although it has cooled down, I'm waiting for my Motrin to kick in because I have a massive headache from today's heat. How is this considered habitable? This is crazy. Am I stuck here for another 11 months? Can anyone advise on what I can do?