521-42

Landlord to supply and maintain fit premises

§521-42 Landlord to supply and maintain fit premises. (a) The landlord shall at all times during the tenancy:

(1) Comply with all applicable building and housing laws materially affecting health and safety;

(2) Keep common areas of a multi-dwelling unit premises in a clean and safe condition;

(3) Make all repairs and arrangements necessary to put and keep the premises in a habitable condition;

(4) Maintain all electrical, plumbing, and other facilities and appliances supplied by the landlord in good working order and condition, subject to reasonable wear and tear;

(5) Except in the case of a single family residence, provide and maintain appropriate receptacles and conveniences for the removal of normal amounts of rubbish and garbage, and arrange for the frequent removal of such waste materials; and

(6) Except in the case of a single family residence, or where the building is not required by law to be equipped for the purpose, provide for the supplying of running water as reasonably required by the tenant.

Prior to the initial date of initial occupancy, the landlord shall inventory the premises and make a written record detailing the condition of the premises and any furnishings or appliances provided. Duplicate copies of this inventory shall be signed by the landlord and by the tenant and a copy given to each tenant. In an action arising under this section, the executed copy of the inventory shall be presumed to be correct. If the landlord fails to make such an inventory and written record, the condition of the premises and any furnishings or appliances provided, upon the termination of the tenancy shall be rebuttably presumed to be the same as when the tenant first occupied the premises.

(b) The landlord and tenant may agree that the tenant is to perform specified repairs, maintenance tasks, and minor remodeling only if:

(1) The agreement of the landlord and tenant is entered into in good faith and is not for the purpose of evading the obligations of the landlord;

(2) The work to be performed by the tenant is not necessary to cure noncompliance by the landlord with section 521-42(a)(1); and

(3) The agreement of the landlord and tenant does not diminish the obligations of the landlord to other tenants. [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1; am L 1976, c 90, §1; am L 1981, c 235, §1; gen ch 1985; am L 1989, c 143, §1]

Case Notes

Where landlord failed to present the required inventory documenting the condition of the property at the time landlord accepted payment for the initial monthly rent and entered into the oral rental agreement with tenants, pursuant to subsection (a), the condition of the property at the termination of the oral rental agreement was presumed to be the same as when tenants first occupied the property pursuant to the oral agreement; since no evidence was presented by landlord to rebut this presumption, the trial court’s award to landlord for damages to the property was improper. 112 H. 302 (App.), 145 P.3d 845 (2006).