If the appliances in your Valley Stream rental home are outdated or aren’t working properly, you might be thinking about asking your landlord to replace them. Though you can claim 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 essential to initiate some preparation first. By using these quick 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, you need to carefully re-read your lease documents. Even though the appliance may have come with the house, your lease may mention that your landlord is under no obligation to repair or replace them. Some leases impose that responsibility on the tenant. Even if your lease states that your landlord isn’t contractually required to replace faulty appliances, you can still consult about it. You will have to tailor your argument with your specific situation in mind.
Check State Law
Landlord-tenant laws differ from state to state. In many states, the law requires a landlord to keep all of the appliances in good working order – regardless of what the lease says. If you reside in that state, you can use this material to persuade your landlord to replace a broken appliance. Even though your state doesn’t have such a requirement, it is a great advantage to have a good working understanding of what the law does and doesn’t cover so that you can testify that in your request.
Explain the Benefits – and the Costs
As you prepare to draft your request, spend some effort to develop all the reasons why your landlord should replace an old or broken appliance. Try to determine the situation from your landlord’s perspective and explain how new appliances will not only benefit you but also offer benefits to your landlord. New appliances often require much less repair in comparison to older ones, which would 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 may also mention that new appliances will help your landlord find new tenants more easily after moving out.
Never forget to mention your careful observation of the lease terms, your on-time rent payments, and so on. On top of that, it’s imperative 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, spell out some 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 preoccupied and don’t have much time to devote to any one 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 excellent reasons to say yes.
Keep It Reasonable
If you have delivered your best arguments and your landlord still refuses to replace the appliances or perhaps claims that they can’t afford to do so, there is another choice that you can test out. Preferably, offer to pay for half of the appliance yourself, particularly if you plan to stay in the rental home for an extended period. If your landlord grants your offer, be sure to get all of the details in writing, including the appliance’s total cost. Choose equipment that is both reasonably priced and good quality – going too extravagant may cause your agreement to end before you get the appliance you want. Once more, being able to recommend a brand and a great deal at a local store may encourage your landlord to agree to your request.
Are you in the market for a new place to live in Valley Stream? We can help with that! Contact us today about our current listings or call us at 516-570-9275.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
