# Washer/dryer "as is" in rentals? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2013, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086 "2013-04-18T23:57:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/1 "2013-04-18T23:57:42Z")
I’m moving next week, and when I got the lease yesterday I was surprised to see the washer and dryer listed as “as is,” and my responsibility to repair or replace. I started renting apartments in 1994 and switched to renting townhouses in 2003 (all with w/d), and those have always been the landlord’s responsibility. Mostly I just want to make sure that the ones in the new place are currently working, so I asked if the landlord would consider providing a 14-day guarantee (I get a 14-day “move-in inspection” period to note any issues with the property). The property management company hasn’t heard back from the homeowner yet, but today they told me that it’s standard for washers and dryers to be provided as-is. Maybe the difference is that the new place is a single-family home (I’ve never rented one of those before). Or maybe the difference is that the new place is in a county where I’ve never lived before. It’s certainly not a deal-breaker, but it got me wondering in an idly curious kind of way: if you own, manage, or occupy a rental with a washer and dryer, are/were they provided as-is? (Details like a general location and whether it’s an apartment or a single-family home are interesting, but not required.) ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/2 "2013-04-19T00:02:13Z")
My guess, based on a few rentals I looked at in my renting days, is that the landlord doesn’t normally provide washer/drier at all. Most likely they were left by a former tenant who didn’t think they were worth moving. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/3 "2013-04-19T01:15:14Z")
I wonder similarly about refrigerators, specifically in apartments. When I did some apartment hunting in Los Angeles several years ago, a lot of apartments didn’t have refrigerators at all. I thought that was stupid for an apartment. I don’t think apartment renters want to deal with lugging refrigerators around. More recently, I’ve seen rentals (not in Los Angeles), where some of them have refrigerators, but the landlord disavows any responsibility for it. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/4 "2013-04-19T01:17:49Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > My guess, based on a few rentals I looked at in my renting days, is that the landlord doesn’t normally provide washer/drier at all. Most likely they were left by a former tenant who didn’t think they were worth moving. that makes sense. I suppose the tenant can use them until something goes wrong and then decide if they want to fix or replace them. then, when you move, you can take them with if you want. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/5 "2013-04-19T01:40:21Z")
“As-is” appliances or no appliances at all seem to be common with house rentals, rather than apartments. The house we’re renting now only came with a fridge. The washer/dryer and range were up to us to supply. The previous house came with a fridge and range, but the lease essentially said they (and the dishwasher) were as-is and any repairs to them were our responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/6 "2013-04-19T01:45:46Z")
IME in Florida, houses come with most if not all the appliances: if it’s there, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to repair it if it goes bad. Haven’t had to deal with broken washer/dryer combos or refrigerators, but I’ve also never lived in a house where they left the nice appliances for you. My current dryer has two options: high heat or no heat, which sucks if you’re trying to dry something that needs low heat. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/7 "2013-04-19T01:48:48Z")
Here, if the landlord provides appliances, they must maintain them. I’ve rented places with hookups only; you had to bring your own w/d, probably because the owners didn’t want the hassle. I’ve never heard of “as is” appliances or tenants being responsible for them. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/8 "2013-04-19T01:57:38Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > Here, if the landlord provides appliances, they must maintain them. > > I’ve rented places with hookups only; you had to bring your own w/d, probably because the owners didn’t want the hassle. > > I’ve never heard of “as is” appliances or tenants being responsible for them. I’ve never heard of it either. Our rental home came with a fridge, stove, and dish washer. We provided the w/d The home owner will replace or repair any existing appliances, which are covered under her home warranty. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/9 "2013-04-19T02:07:07Z")
> [@nashiitashii](#): > > IME in Florida, houses come with most if not all the appliances: if it’s there, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to repair it if it goes bad. Haven’t had to deal with broken washer/dryer combos or refrigerators, but I’ve also never lived in a house where they left the nice appliances for you. My current dryer has two options: high heat or no heat, which sucks if you’re trying to dry something that needs low heat. Why hasn’t your landlord fixed it, then? ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/10 "2013-04-19T20:59:30Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I wonder similarly about refrigerators, specifically in apartments. When I did some apartment hunting in Los Angeles several years ago, a lot of apartments didn’t have refrigerators at all. No _refrigerators_? Wow! > [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > then, when you move, you can take them with if you want. IME that might make sense for homeowners, but not renters: there’s no guarantee that the next place you rent will need a washer/dryer, or that both dryer hookups will be either electric or gas, or that the current appliances will fit. And in my case we’re talking about a stacking unit, which I haven’t seen since my apartment-living days. > [@gotpasswords](#): > > “As-is” appliances or no appliances at all seem to be common with house rentals, rather than apartments. Interesting. I called the property management office today, and got some more info: she said it’s standard in _their_ leases for the washer/dryer to be “as is” because those are the appliances that tenants are most likely to abuse (overloading the washer, never cleaning the lint out of the dryer, etc.). But the homeowner is willing to give me the requested 14-day guarantee, so I’m happy. Like I said, I mostly just wanted to make sure they had no reason to believe that the washer/dryer aren’t currently working. > [@redtail23](#): > > Here, if the landlord provides appliances, they must maintain them. That’s what I’m used to. > [@Peremensoe](#): > > Why hasn’t your landlord fixed it, then? Um, 'cause it’s not broken? She said the dryer only has two options, not that it’s supposed to have more. I’ve had dryers like that before, where they were either “on” or “off.” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/11 "2013-04-21T17:47:37Z")
You can check with the City as to what the landlord _has_ to provide _legally_. Often it’s nothing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/12 "2013-04-21T17:52:55Z")
Just make sure you aren’t responsible for leaving working appliances when your lease is up. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washer-dryer-as-is-in-rentals/656086/13 "2013-04-21T20:34:00Z")
The last place I rented had an “as is” stackable washer/dryer. It broke within a few months, so I fixed it and had no problem with taking it with me when I moved.