Appliances make our lives easier and are great amenities to any home. However, to make sure that owners and residents are on the same page the lease must spell out which appliances are being provided with and without warranty. Providing an appliance with warranty means that if and when the appliance breaks down it is owner responsibility to repair or replace. Providing an appliance without warranty means that the appliance is being provided as a courtesy, however if and when it breaks down it is up to the resident to either repair or replace. The following is what is usual and customary in the marketplace, here’s an overview.
APPLIANCES WITH WARRANTY
If a property comes with an appliance that cannot be removed, it is provided with warranty. Appliances that stay with the property are the following:
- Stove w/ Oven
- Stovetop
- Built-In Oven or Double Oven
- Built-In Microwave
- Rangehood
- Dishwasher
APPLIANCES WITHOUT WARRANTY
If a property comes with an appliance that can be removed, it is provided without warranty. Appliances that can be removed are the following:
- Refrigerator
- Washer
- Dryer
REPAIR OR REPLACE?
When a resident is considering repairing or replacing an appliance without warranty the number one question that helps with the decision-making is to find out the age of the appliance. Though this can vary by manufacturer, most appliances have a 10-year life expectancy. A lot of times they can last a lot longer but if money will be spent on a repair, thought should be given as to whether it makes sense to put money into a repair to an appliance that is at or close to the life expectancy checkpoint. To find out the age of the appliance one can use the Manufacturer of the appliance along with the Model & Serial Number and use a website such as HomeSpy.IO. By the time you consider the service call, parts and labor costs of the repair it may make more sense to replace rather than repair. If a resident opts to replace an appliance without warranty, then this becomes their personal property.
THE REMOVAL & DISPOSAL FEE
If a resident has decided to replace an appliance without warranty, the question will come up of what to do with the non-working appliance. When ordering a new appliance, one of the services that are provided by the retailer that sells the appliance is to pay an additional fee for the Removal & Disposal of the non-working appliance. Though this can vary from company to company, most of the time this will range between $50 - $100. It is best practices to have a resident pay this fee out of pocket at the point of purchase and then submit the receipt of the Removal & Disposal for reimbursement via a credit to the resident’s ledger.
CONCLUSION
By taking the time to set proper expectations upfront both owners and residents will know how to best proceed when an appliance breaks down based on whether the appliance comes with or without warranty.
