Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

questions & answers

Question: Who is required to pay to fix phone line landlord or tenant?

Answer: This is a difficult question to answer without knowing the particulars. As a general rule, under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (A.R.S. Title 33 Chapter 10), landlords are required to “maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and other facilities and appliances, including elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by him” (A.R.S. 33-1324). The relevant issue is whether or not maintaining a working telephone line is one of the landlord’s duties under the rental agreement. Even if it is not specifically mentioned within the lease, it still may be the landlord’s responsibility to pay to have it repaired. A tenant might consider first contacting the telephone company to ask if the problem is internal to your unit or to the building as a whole or completely external to the building. It is also always advised to make all requests of a landlord in writing.