You can request new appliances in your apartment at any time, but whether your landlord has to agree comes down to two questions: is the appliance actually broken, and does your lease or local housing code require the landlord to provide it? A landlord who ignores a dead refrigerator or a stove that won’t heat may be breaking the law. A landlord who declines to swap out a working-but-dated dishwasher is usually within their rights. Everything about how you frame the request, and what leverage you have, flows from that difference.
What Your Landlord Is Legally Required to Provide
Most states recognize an implied warranty of habitability, which requires landlords to keep rental units safe and fit to live in regardless of what the lease says about repairs. The warranty applies even if the lease is silent.
Here’s what surprises most tenants: the warranty of habitability sets a floor, not a furniture list. It covers working plumbing, heat, electricity, and freedom from serious health hazards. Whether a specific appliance falls under that umbrella depends on where you live. Only a handful of states explicitly require landlords to provide a stove or oven, and almost no state mandates a refrigerator at the state level. Many jurisdictions leave appliance requirements to local municipal codes, which vary widely even within a single state.
Your lease fills the gaps the law leaves open. If the lease lists specific appliances as included with the unit, your landlord generally takes on the duty to keep those appliances functional for the length of your tenancy. Appliances the landlord provided but the lease doesn’t mention sit in a gray area. Check your lease for any clause covering appliances, maintenance responsibilities, and what counts as a “convenience item” the landlord won’t repair. Some leases explicitly carve out microwaves, window air conditioners, or garbage disposals as tenant responsibilities.
Broken Appliances vs. Outdated Ones
This distinction shapes everything. A broken appliance is one that cannot perform its basic function: a refrigerator that won’t hold temperature, an oven that won’t heat, a stove with burners that don’t ignite. When the broken appliance was provided by the landlord or listed in the lease, you’re on solid legal ground asking for a repair or replacement. If it’s tied to basic habitability, like a heating system, the landlord’s obligation to act is even stronger.
An outdated appliance still works. It might be loud, energy-hungry, or ugly, but it does the job. Landlords have no legal duty to replace a functioning appliance just because a newer model exists. Asking for an upgrade is a negotiation, and the strategies for that conversation are different from demanding a legally required repair. Confusing the two weakens your position in both.
When Old Starts to Mean Failing
Appliances don’t last forever. A typical refrigerator has a useful life of roughly 13 to 19 years. Stoves and ranges tend to last 13 to 15 years. Dishwashers wear out faster, averaging around 9 years. If your appliance is approaching or past these benchmarks, you’re in a reasonable spot to flag the age in your request even if it technically still runs. Appliances near end of life are more likely to fail soon, and many landlords prefer a planned replacement over an emergency one.
Who Pays When an Appliance Breaks
The answer depends on why it broke. Normal wear and tear is the landlord’s problem. Appliances degrade through ordinary use, and a landlord can’t charge you for a compressor that gives out after 15 years of faithful service. If the landlord provided the appliance and it fails from age or normal use, the cost of repair or replacement is theirs.
Damage you caused is your problem. If you cracked the glass cooktop by dropping a heavy pan, or burned out the dishwasher motor by running it wrong, the landlord can hold you responsible. This distinction also matters at move-out: landlords can deduct appliance repair costs from your security deposit for damage beyond normal wear and tear, but only for the depreciated value of the appliance, not the price of a brand-new replacement. A 12-year-old refrigerator isn’t worth what a new one costs, and the deduction should reflect that.
How to Make the Request
Put it in writing. Verbal requests disappear, and if you ever need to escalate, a paper trail is the difference between a credible complaint and a he-said-she-said dispute. Email works for most situations. For a broken appliance affecting habitability, send a dated letter by certified mail with return receipt requested so you can prove when the landlord received notice.
Before you write anything, do the homework that makes the request hard to ignore:
- Review your lease. Find the clauses covering appliances, maintenance, and repair obligations. Knowing exactly what the lease says lets you frame the request as either a contractual duty or a polite ask.
- Document the problem. Photograph the appliance, capture the make, model, and serial number, and record the specific malfunction. Video is especially useful for intermittent issues like a burner that sparks but won’t light.
- Note your history. Write down dates and details of any previous conversations with your landlord about the appliance, verbal ones included.
- If you’re asking for an upgrade, gather utility bills. Showing that a newer model could cut energy costs gives your landlord a financial reason to act.
Your written request should identify the appliance, describe the problem, reference any relevant lease provisions, and state what you want: repair, replacement, or a conversation about options. Propose a reasonable deadline for a response. Keep the tone professional. Landlords who feel cornered dig in; landlords who see a reasonable tenant making a clear request are more likely to cooperate.
If Your Landlord Says Yes
Get the specifics in writing: what will be done, by when, and if it’s a replacement, what model. A landlord who offers to repair a broken appliance rather than replace it is generally within their rights. A successful repair that restores full function satisfies the legal obligation.
If the landlord agrees to replace the appliance, you typically don’t get to pick the exact model. The obligation is to provide a functional appliance, not the one you’d choose. That said, if you have a preference and you’re a reliable tenant, it doesn’t hurt to suggest a specific model and explain why.
If Your Landlord Refuses or Ignores You
What you can do next depends on whether the appliance is one the landlord is legally required to maintain.
Broken Appliances That Affect Habitability
Several remedies may be available depending on your jurisdiction:
- Contact local code enforcement. Most cities and counties have housing code enforcement offices or building inspectors. Filing a complaint triggers an inspection, and a code violation notice puts formal pressure on the landlord. It costs you nothing and creates an official record.
- Repair and deduct. Many jurisdictions allow tenants to hire someone to fix the problem and subtract the cost from rent. This remedy comes with strict requirements: written notice first, a reasonable waiting period, and a dollar cap that varies by jurisdiction. Skipping any step can leave you liable for the full rent.1LII / Legal Information Institute. Repair and Deduct
- Rent withholding. Some jurisdictions allow tenants to withhold rent when a landlord fails to maintain habitable conditions. Procedures vary significantly. Some states require you to deposit withheld rent into an escrow account; others prohibit withholding entirely. Getting this wrong can result in an eviction filing for nonpayment, so check your local rules before holding back any rent.
- Constructive eviction. When a landlord’s failure to act substantially interferes with your ability to use your home, the law may treat it as if the landlord effectively evicted you. Claiming constructive eviction generally requires showing the problem was severe enough to make the unit unsuitable, that you gave notice and a reasonable chance to fix it, and that you vacated within a reasonable time after the landlord failed to act.2LII / Legal Information Institute. Constructive Eviction
A caution: repair-and-deduct and rent withholding are powerful tools, and using them incorrectly is one of the fastest ways to end up in eviction court. If your landlord is genuinely unresponsive about a habitability issue, consult a local tenant’s rights organization or legal aid office before acting on your own. Procedural requirements vary enough between states that general advice can’t safely substitute for local guidance.
Outdated but Working Appliances
If the appliance works and your landlord declines to replace it, you have no legal claim to push. But you can negotiate. Approaches that tend to work:
- Offer to split the cost. Proposing to pay part of the price lowers the landlord’s out-of-pocket expense and signals that you’re invested in the property.
- Suggest a modest rent increase. Some landlords will agree to an upgrade if you offer a small bump in monthly rent that helps them recoup the cost over time.
- Make the financial case. If a newer, energy-efficient model would lower utility costs or push the next replacement further out, you’re speaking the landlord’s language. This works especially well when the landlord pays the utilities.
- Time it right. Lease renewal season gives you the most leverage. A landlord weighing the cost of finding a new tenant against the cost of a new dishwasher will often choose the dishwasher.
Whatever you agree to, put it in writing as an addendum to your lease. Verbal promises about appliance upgrades are nearly impossible to enforce later.
Protecting Yourself While You Wait
A broken refrigerator doesn’t just inconvenience you; it can cost you money in spoiled food. Standard renter’s insurance policies cover food spoilage when the loss results from a covered event like a power surge or lightning strike, but most policies do not cover food lost because an old appliance simply stopped working. If appliance breakdown worries you, ask your insurance provider about an equipment breakdown endorsement, which extends coverage to mechanical and electrical failures. The endorsement is typically inexpensive and can cover both the appliance repair and the contents lost.
While you wait for a repair, document everything. Keep a log of dates you contacted the landlord, save all written communications, and photograph any secondary damage like water leaks from a failing dishwasher or mold from a broken HVAC unit. If the situation eventually turns into legal action or a security deposit dispute, that record is your strongest evidence.