On a hot summer day in San Antonio, there are few things more enjoyable than sitting in a room cooled by an air conditioning system. In some cases, having access to such a system can prevent significant issues for small children, the elderly, or those who have breathing or other types of health problems. If the cooling system in your rented apartment or house is not working properly, your landlord is obligated by Texas law to remedy the issue in a timely manner. Similar laws exist in most states with extreme heat where air conditioning is a public health consideration.
How Long Does a Landlord Have to Repair Your Rental Home’s Air Conditioner?
In most cases, your landlord has 10 days to get your rental property’s cooling system back into working order. To expedite the process, he or she can call the folks at MD Air Conditioning & Heating in San Antonio. Our trained technicians will be able to repair or replace cooling system components in a timely and affordable manner. The owner of the property that you occupy may also want to consider signing up for a maintenance plan to prevent significant cooling system problems from occurring again down the road.
The Timeline May Be Shorter During Heat Waves
It’s fairly common for localities throughout Texas to experience hot and humid weather throughout most of the spring, summer, and fall seasons. During these periods, a property owner may be compelled to fix an improperly functioning air conditioning system in less than 10 days. Typically, this person would be compelled to do so as quickly as possible, which may mean calling someone to come to the rental property the day a problem is reported.
You Should Report the Problem Immediately
Your landlord generally isn’t required to fix any problems that he or she wouldn’t be expected to know about. Therefore, the best way to get a resolution in a timely manner is to report the problem as soon as possible. You can do so by phone, email, or any other communication method available to you. If your landlord doesn’t respond to your inquiries, it may be possible to take action on your own.
It’s worth noting that a property owner is required to fix issues that he or she is aware of. For example, if previous tenants complained about cooling system issues, it may be possible to take action against your landlord for failing to adequately heed the concerns of those prior tenants. Alternatively, if the landlord notices that there is an issue with the air conditioner while inspecting the property, that might be enough to show that this person knew about the problem and failed to correct it.
You Shouldn’t Be Charged for Basic Maintenance
Assuming that you didn’t do anything to cause the air conditioner to stop working, you shouldn’t be charged for any work done to maintain it. This may also be true in the event that you had to call someone on your landlord’s behalf because the property owner failed to respond to your requests for assistance.
If you do have to call for help yourself, you should ask your landlord to deduct the cost of repairs from your next rent payment. You should also consult your lease to determine if there is any language related to what happens if repairs are made without his or her consent. In the event that you are charged to maintain a cooling system that failed because of landlord negligence, it may be worthwhile to consult a lawyer.
What Can You Do Until the Air Conditioning Is Fixed?
While you wait for the air conditioning to be fixed, you may want to consider spending the day at the mall, library, or some other public place that has air conditioning. You may also want to consider going to the beach or to a local park to keep cool during the hottest part of the day. If this is not possible, you can reduce the temperature in your apartment by closing the blinds and keeping the lights off. As light creates heat, keeping a room as dark as possible can reduce the odds that it becomes too hot during the day.
When an air conditioner is not working properly, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at MD Air Conditioning & Heating in San Antonio. In addition to repairing, maintaining and installing air conditioners, our trained technicians can do the same for heaters and also perform indoor air quality assessments. These assessments may identify the reasons why you are having trouble breathing or why your skin gets dry during the winter months. If we can be of assistance in any way, call us today.
Tags: Tenant Rights