The dividing line isn't which appliance it is — it's whether it broke from age and normal use, or from something you did.
Usually the landlord — provided the appliance was included with the property and broke through normal use or age, rather than something you did. In the UK, this falls under the landlord's core repairing obligations in Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, which specifically covers installations for water, gas, electricity, heating, and hot water, and landlords must act within a reasonable time once notified. In the US, the implied warranty of habitability plays a similar role, requiring landlords to maintain essential systems and appliances that affect a property's basic livability.
| United States | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Implied warranty of habitability, recognized in nearly all states as an unwritten term of every residential lease | Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 |
| What's covered | Essential systems affecting habitability — heat, water, electrical, sanitation, and provided appliances necessary for basic living conditions | Installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating, and hot water supply — structure and exterior are separately covered too |
| Timeframe to fix | No universal fixed number of days — "reasonable time" once the landlord is on notice, though what's reasonable is stricter for essentials like heat or water | A reasonable time after being told of the problem or when they should reasonably have known about it |
| Non-essential appliances (e.g. a microwave) | Generally outside the strict habitability warranty, though often still covered under the specific tenancy agreement | Not automatically covered by Section 11 unless it's one of the listed installations, but frequently addressed separately in the tenancy agreement |
| Damage caused by the tenant | Excluded from the landlord's obligation — tenant-caused damage is the tenant's responsibility | Same principle — the landlord's repairing obligation doesn't extend to damage caused by the tenant's own actions |
One detail worth being clear on: both frameworks distinguish between something breaking down and something being broken. A dishwasher failing after eight years of normal use is squarely the landlord's responsibility if it was provided with the property. A dishwasher damaged because something was put in it that shouldn't have been is a different situation entirely.
A fridge, boiler, or heating system left unrepaired well beyond a reasonable timeframe — especially in cold weather for heating — is a stronger case than a slower response to something less essential, and worth escalating specifically on those grounds.
If the appliance came with the rental and you didn't damage it, a landlord declining to repair or replace it generally isn't a matter of choice on their part — it's a repairing obligation, not a favor.
This is the most common genuine gray area — document the appliance's condition and age where you can, and don't assume fault automatically falls on you just because the landlord says so.
"The [appliance] provided with the property stopped working on [date] through normal use — this isn't something I caused. Could you arrange a repair or replacement within a reasonable timeframe?"
If the response is slow:
"It's been [X days] since I reported this, and it's still unresolved. Given [heating/hot water/refrigeration] is essential, I'd like this addressed urgently — can you confirm a specific date?"
Use Kibbo's Housing & Rentals tools to put your repair request in writing, with a clear deadline your landlord is expected to meet.
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