If the appliances in your Old Southwest rental home are old or aren’t working properly, you may be thinking about asking your landlord to replace them. While you may consider that you have good reasons to ask for new appliances, there are both right and wrong ways to go about it. Before you call or send an email to your landlord with your request, it is advisable to do some preparation first. By using these easy tips, you can craft a request that your landlord will have a hard time saying no to.
Check Your Lease
Before asking your landlord for new appliances, the first thing you must do is re-read your lease documents. Although the appliance may have come with the house, your lease may state that your landlord is under no obligation to repair or replace them. Various leases put that responsibility on the tenant instead. Even if your lease states that your landlord isn’t contractually required to replace faulty appliances, you can still discuss it. You’ll need to tailor your argument with your specific situation in mind.
Check State Law
Landlord-tenant laws differ from state to state. In some states, the law requires a landlord to keep all of the appliances in good working order – regardless of what the lease says. If you remain in this state, this is the knowledge that you need to help you persuade your landlord to replace a broken appliance. Although your state doesn’t have such a requirement, it is essential to have a good working understanding of what the law does and doesn’t cover so that you can clarify that in your request.
Explain the Benefits – and the Costs
As you prepare to draft your request, take a few moments to develop all the reasons why your landlord should replace an old or broken appliance. Try to take a closer look at the scenario from your landlord’s perspective and explain how new appliances will not only benefit you but offer benefits to your landlord as well. New appliances usually require much less repair versus older ones, which will probably save your landlord time and money in the long run. They are also more energy-efficient and may have rebates your landlord can use to save money. You could also incorporate that new appliances will help your landlord find new tenants more easily after moving out.
Do not forget to mention your careful observation of the lease terms, your on-time rent payments, and so on. Additionally, it is important to explain all of the ways that you, the good tenant, have been negatively impacted by the malfunctioning appliance(s). From high utility bills to spoiled food, describe any risks that broken appliances pose to your health and budget. If your landlord understands how unhappy you are with the situation, that might motivate them to agree to your requests.
Offer to Help
Most landlords are busy, and they don’t have enough time to interact with every tenant. Make granting your request for new appliances easy by sending along some research on good quality brands and deals on new appliances in your area. You can also offer to help remove and set up the new appliance if you have the skills needed to do so. By approaching your landlord with good information and offers to help, you will give them even strong reasons to say yes.
Keep It Reasonable
If you’ve sent your best arguments and your landlord still refuses to replace the appliances or perhaps claims that they can’t afford to do so, there’s another method you can consider. If possible, offer to pay for half of the appliance yourself, specifically if you choose to stay in the rental home for an extended period. If your landlord supports your proposal, be sure to get all of the details in writing, including the appliance’s total cost. Choose a machine that is both reasonably priced and good quality – going too extravagant may cause your agreement to end before you get the appliance you want. Again, if you can recommend a brand and a good deal at a local store may encourage your landlord to agree to your request.
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