How Long Does a Landlord Have to Fix Your AC in North Carolina?

If your air conditioner stops working during a North Carolina summer, then you know exactly how hot it can get. If you're a renter, you may be asking yourself, just ? The laws surrounding this issue aren't very cut-and-dry, but it's clear that you are entitled to have your AC fixed.

If your landlord isn't responsive to your requests for repairs, you do have legal recourse to get it done. But it's important to know what steps you can and cannot take. To make sure you don't get yourself in trouble, we've outlined the steps you can take if your landlord isn't taking care of his duties. If you'd rather hand the mess over to someone who's prepared for this fight, DoNotPay is here for you.

How Long Does My Landlord Have to Repair My AC?

states that landlords must keep services such as air conditioning in "good and safe working order." If a tenant reports that their AC needs repair, the landlord must respond "promptly," but there's no set number of days they're allowed.

Can I Withhold Rent if They Don’t Fix It?

In North Carolina, a renter isn't allowed to withhold rent for any reason unless they have a court order allowing them to do so. You can go to court to request that order, but it's usually not the first step in the process. Withholding rent before you're allowed to will only land you in hot water.

What to Do if Your AC Is Broken

If you're facing a heatwave without air conditioning, it can feel like an emergency. As miserable as you may be, there are still steps you're expected to go through to get the problem taken care of.

Ask to have it fixed.	It's helpful to tell your landlord right away, over the phone or in person, but always follow that up with a written request. Keep a copy of the request for yourself.
If it's an emergency, you can pay for repairs yourself	If you have health issues that make excessive heat dangerous, you may decide to pay for repairs. You can seek reimbursement from your landlord, but this may not be easy.
Try to work out a solution with your landlord.	Speak to them, asking if you can pay for the repairs, then deduct the cost from your rent. Your landlord may be willing to do this, especially if they're too busy to deal with it right now. Get the agreement in writing.
Report it to local authorities	Local building, health, fire, and safety inspectors can come to inspect the property and fine the landlord if the conditions aren't acceptable. This may be enough to convince them to take care of it.
Still not fixed?	You can call the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. They will not pursue legal action on your behalf, but they can answer questions about what to do next.
File a claim in small claims court	If you've done the repairs yourself and the landlord won't reimburse you, you can request "rent recoupment," where the costs are deducted from the rent you owe. You can also request an order to withhold rent until the repairs are completed.

Things You Need to Know About Small Claims Court

Even if you win your case, the landlord will not have to pay your attorney's fees. You may want to plead your own case to avoid this cost. You'll have to provide the following proof:

a written or oral lease
the landlord was legally required to fix the problem
you gave written notice of the problem
the landlord failed to fix it within a reasonable time
how much do you pay to fix the AC or the estimated cost to have it repaired
the problem reduced the rental value of the property

Need Help Getting Your AC Fixed? DoNotPay Is On Your Side

If going through all these steps feels overwhelming and time-consuming, there is an easier way. DoNotPay knows exactly how to navigate the requirements to get the results you need. Our Landlord Protection product is designed to help you deal with many common renter's issues, such as:

Get your security deposit back.
Learn about your state's eviction laws and what protections apply in your case
Write a letter to your landlord about repairs.
Resolve disputes with roommates by filing demand letters or going through small claims court
Break your lease early.

How to Resolve Disputes About AC Repairs With Your Landlord

All you have to do is follow these four simple steps:

Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
Select which issue applies to you.
Answer a simple set of questions so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.

We will take it from there! You don't have to figure out the legal language or read up on housing codes; we've got that all figured out for you.

Why Turn To DoNotPay to Get Your AC Fixed?

Simply put, we get the job done. Instead of wading through legal information to be sure you're making your request the right way, you can let DoNotPay take care of it for you. We're fast and efficient, so you don't have to swelter while you struggle to figure out the process. But repair requests are just one small part of what we do.

DoNotPay is set up to deal with many other renter's issues, such as:

Even better, negotiating landlord disputes is just one of the ways DoNotPay can settle frustrating problems for you.

DoNotPay Takes Care of the Frustrating Details

Getting your landlord to fix your AC is only one tiny part of the ways we can simplify your life. Here are some of the other things we're experts at handling:

Let DoNotPay handle the details and free you up for other things. We're ready to fight for you!