A Residential Electrician in Scranton PA is called upon for assistance when an electrical feature malfunctions or is broken at a residential rental property. The responsibility of arranging for the service is the landlord’s, but the responsibility of paying for the repair depends on the specifics. The landlord pays the electrician but may charge the tenants if it’s obvious they caused damage.
Deterioration vs. Damage
For example, a light switch that quits working is probably caused by deterioration of wiring behind the device or the switch itself. A Residential Electrician in Scranton PA can replace the wiring and the switch, and the landlord is responsible for the payment. In contrast, if the tenants break an outlet, they probably will be required to pay the charge for its replacement.
Relevant Regulations
State laws require that rental property owners arrange for repair work within a certain amount of time so the tenants are not inconvenienced for very long. Many electrical issues, while seemingly innocuous, could actually be fire risks because of deteriorated components. The problems should be addressed promptly.
If part of the home’s circuitry on the electrical panel quits working, codes regarding habitability of residences require fast repair work if the problem is related to health and safety. If this part of the panel powers the furnace ignition, for instance, the tenant is not expected to live without heat. The same is true for circuits that are connected to water heaters.
Major Appliances
Electrical problems with major appliances, however, may not be covered by landlord-tenant laws. Regulations generally do not require landlords to provide refrigerators and stoves, for example. If the refrigerator stops working because of circuitry issues, the tenant should check the lease if the landlord is uncooperative. If a refrigerator is included in the lease agreement, the property owner must arrange for repair.
Keeping Renters Happy
Most landlords are very cooperative with all these issues as they want to keep their renters happy, and to avoid the hassle and cost of turnover. They typically schedule repair work quickly with a company such as Quality Electric. Click Here for information on this particular organization.
