How long to Landlords have to replace a refrigerator that died??

[ChrisLittleGirl]

What is the name of your state? Maine

As per the title of the thread the refrigerator in our tenants apartment died and we were wondering how long a landlords supposed to have to replace it by law?? This is the senario as its happend so far:

Our tenant called us at 1pm yesterday (sunday) and said the refrigerator and microwave wasnt working so we went to check the breaker, and there was something tripped, so we fliped it back and it keep tripping right away so we did a little more investigating and found the compresser had gone in the refrigerator and thats why its causing the breaker to trip. So while we were talking to our tenant we found out it happend at 8pm Saturday night but she thought it was just the microwave that died and never checked another outlet to confirm it was just he microwave and never told us anything about having problems untill the next day at 1 when seh found out the refrigerator wasnt working. She told us her food smelt like it was starting to spoil already so i did the following:

Well we brought her coolers and ice and told her were going to buy a new one and if she needs more ice to let us know and WE will buy it and take care of it. Well she never called last night but i brought her some this morning. So this morning (monday 10am we went and bought one and my father was going to get it but last minute the people that were going to help us move it left us hanging and cant get it untill 6:30pm tonight.

A friend of hers recently came up and hold us her food was spoiled and wondered when we were getting it and i told her it would be 6:30 tonight.


Is there a certain amount of time landlords are given to fix something like this. It will be 46 hours since it died and 34 hours since we found, does that seem unresonable??? And are we responcible for the food as we didnt find out for so long??

 

[xylene]

What is the name of your state? Maine

As per the title of the thread the refrigerator in our tenants apartment died and we were wondering how long a landlords supposed to have to replace it by law?? This is the senario as its happend so far:

Our tenant called us at 1pm yesterday (sunday) and said the refrigerator and microwave wasnt working so we went to check the breaker, and there was something tripped, so we fliped it back and it keep tripping right away so we did a little more investigating and found the compresser had gone in the refrigerator and thats why its causing the breaker to trip. So while we were talking to our tenant we found out it happend at 8pm Saturday night but she thought it was just the microwave that died and never checked another outlet to confirm it was just he microwave and never told us anything about having problems untill the next day at 1 when seh found out the refrigerator wasnt working. She told us her food smelt like it was starting to spoil already so i did the following:

Well we brought her coolers and ice and told her were going to buy a new one and if she needs more ice to let us know and WE will buy it and take care of it. Well she never called last night but i brought her some this morning. So this morning (monday 10am we went and bought one and my father was going to get it but last minute the people that were going to help us move it left us hanging and cant get it untill 6:30pm tonight.

A friend of hers recently came up and hold us her food was spoiled and wondered when we were getting it and i told her it would be 6:30 tonight.


Is there a certain amount of time landlords are given to fix something like this. It will be 46 hours since it died and 34 hours since we found, does that seem unresonable??? And are we responcible for the food as we didnt find out for so long??

You are very thoughtful to help with the food.

BUT you are not responsible for the tenants food.

The timeline you are suggesting is very reasonable to get the appliances replaced.

Suggest to the tenant to contact the rental insurance for their options of the spoiled food.

 

[Alaska landlord]

How long you take is up to you, but 72 hrs seems reasonable to me. Tenants should have made their own provisions to keep their food from spoiling.

Be careful, they might claim that their empty frig was full to the top with food

 

[ChrisLittleGirl]

How long you take is up to you, but 72 hrs seems reasonable to me. Tenants should have made their own provisions to keep their food from spoiling.

Be careful, they might claim that their empty frig was full to the top with food

well i did help her pack the ice i bought into the coolers i gave her so i did see how much food she had, but if the refrigerator was already dead for 16 hours before she let us know the food was pretty much going to be gone anyways. But considering her mother lives less then 2 minutes up the road she could have stored her frozen stuff that was only (1/2 or less frozen) there for the time being. I dont think there was much more i could have done to help to be honest.

Well i feel better knowing that im doing it as fast as possible anyways, the soonest someone could deliver it to us was wednesday or next tuesday unless we picked it up.

 

[MIRAKALES]

In emergency circumstances (such as no heat or water), not more than several (3-4) days before most property owner’s could receive a citation or fine. In non-emergency circumstances, not more than ten to fourteen (10-14) days before citation or fine may be issued. Most refrigerators last about fifteen (15) years. If it is a newer refrigerator, the compressor may be replaced. Maintain the old refrigerator as a temporary, emergency backup even if LL purchases a new refrigerator.

 

[ecmst12]

Most places it would not even be required that you provide a fridge to your tenants if you don't wish to, unless it's provided for in your lease. Sounds like you've acted as quickly as you could, and your tenants should be pleased with your attentiveness.

 

[ChrisLittleGirl]

In emergency circumstances (such as no heat or water), not more than several (3-4) days before most property owner’s could receive a citation or fine. In non-emergency circumstances, not more than ten to fourteen (10-14) days before citation or fine may be issued. Most refrigerators last about fifteen (15) years. If it is a newer refrigerator, the compressor may be replaced. Maintain the old refrigerator as a temporary, emergency backup even if LL purchases a new refrigerator.

The refrigerator was very old, older then 15 years and it was sunday when we found out so we couldnt get anyone out there to fix it. From when we had to have a compresser fixed in a different refrigerator it cost upwords of 350-450 cause it was a older refrig. so we just went out and bought a good sized one.

The tenant was actually asked to leave at the beginning of the month with a 30 day notice (all done by ME state guidelines) so shes in the process of packing but was very pleasent with us. She was VERY messy in the apartment but since shes lived there for 15 years most the stuff that we need to fix is ware and tear of hte place so were not going after her for anything. Hopefully the 9 days left shes there she will atleast TRY to keep it clean. Figure she cant do to much damnage to it in that little amount of time.

Shes lived there for 15 years, starting rent at 400 a month and over that 15 years my grandmother only went up 150 dollars on her. Mind you this is a 2 bedroom large apartment with all utilities included except phone,cable, internet and plowing. Through some research ive been doing over the past yr ive lived here (helping out my grandmother as shes beeing going through illness) what ive found is that in this area i can get around 900-1000 for the apartment. I put a question out there on Craigslist and have 23 people within a week that wont to look at it when its ready to be rented. The only reason we did ask her to leave is that we know the women couldnt afford for us to go up on it and my grandmothers strugging to pay all the bills on that little bit thats comming in from it over the course of hte year. I feel bad for her, but i feel worse that my grandmothers going in debt trying to maintain the house that hte apartments in.

 

[ecmst12]

Hey don't feel too bad. A rental property is a business, not a charity, and you have to think about the bottom line for your grandmother's sake. Sounds like the tenant understands that. Hopefully she can find another place that she can afford. Having a new fridge will help you find another tenant even more quickly.