Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in North Carolina

Landlord won't repair AC unit

I signed a lease appromixately one month ago. Within the first week, the AC unit stopped working. Four times I have called and complained to the leasing office. The maintenance man is dispatched after a couple days and comes while I am at work. When he is ''done'' the unit still does not work. I keep calling and complaining and the office keeps ignoring me or saying they will send the maintenance man again. Meantime, the temperature in my apt. has been in the 90's. I cannot sleep and feel physically sick from the heat. I've had to purchase some fans which helps only so much. I signed the lease believing I would have a working AC unit. My questions: can I compel the property mgr to fix or replace the unit? Can I call an AC company myself and deduct the cost of repairs from the rent? Or, can I use this as legal reason to break the lease?


Asked on 7/28/05, 7:25 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
David Anderson Anderson Business Law LLC

Re: Landlord won't repair AC unit

Can you get estimates? If the cost of repair is $100 or less, I would notify them that you are going to fix it within 3 days if they do not, then do it and deduct from the rent after they fail to act. Make sure to send receipt confirmed and get a reasonable estimate to repair.

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Answered on 7/28/05, 10:08 pm


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