Apartment maintenance splits cleanly between landlord obligations and tenant responsibilities, with tenants often footing bills for damage they cause and landlords covering structural issues.
Landlords must maintain habitable units. This includes fixing broken plumbing, heating systems, electrical wiring, and structural damage. Leaky roofs, broken windows, and foundation problems fall squarely on the property owner. Many states legally require landlords to handle these repairs within specific timeframes, typically 24 to 72 hours for emergencies like heating failures.
Tenants pay for damage they inflict directly. A broken window from a thrown object, a stained carpet from spilled wine, or a cracked tile from dropped dishes becomes the tenant's expense. Damage from normal wear and tear differs legally from intentional or negligent damage. A worn carpet after five years of use belongs to the landlord. A carpet ruined by a pet accident belongs to the tenant.
Appliances present gray areas. If a refrigerator came with the apartment, the landlord repairs it. If the tenant brought their own microwave and it breaks, that tenant replaces it. The lease clarifies ownership. Some landlords include appliance coverage in rent. Others don't.
HVAC systems and water heaters typically fall to landlords since they're permanent building infrastructure. Tenants don't pay for these repairs even if they accidentally trigger the problem through misuse, though intentional damage changes the calculation.
Paint and carpet replacement depends on location and lease terms. In rent-controlled areas, landlords often absorb cosmetic refreshes between tenants. In market-rate apartments, tenants may pay for damages beyond normal wear.
Check your lease carefully. It specifies which party handles what. Some leases illegally shift landlord responsibilities to tenants. Knowing local tenant laws protects you. Contact your city or county housing