My Landlord Won’t Fix The Dishwasher - What Should I Do?

One of the benefits of renting is having a landlord who does all the repairs. One of the worst things about renting is when you have a landlord that refuses to make repairs or drags their feet getting things done. Having working kitchen appliances makes cooking and cleaning so much easier, but if your , DoNotPay can help.

Is Your Landlord Required to Fix Your Dishwasher?

Unfortunately, dishwashers tend to fall in a gray area when it comes to rentals and repairs.

Warranty of Habitability	Warranty of Habitability is the standard that landlords will provide a safe, clean unit that is habitable for humans. While the exact standards may differ by state, you'll usually find an implied warranty through state and local ordinances, or it may also come from court decisions.
Does Your Lease Require It?	Check your lease to see if your landlord is responsible for dishwasher repairs. If your apartment, townhouse or other rental unit was advertised with a dishwasher, and/or your lease specifically states that a dishwasher is included with your rent, then your landlord should be responsible for repairs. Some leases, however, will state that the appliances are available for tenant use, but the tenant is responsible for any maintenance and repairs.
What Does The Law Say?	Check local ordinances and state landlord-tenant laws. If any statutes include provisions regarding repairs made to existing appliances, or you were required to mark appliances as "working" or "not working" on a move-in checklist, you may have more leverage.

This means your landlord is responsible for repairs that will provide adequate plumbing, hot water and heating, proper sewage disposal, pest/vermin control, gas leaks, etc. A dishwasher is typically considered a luxury appliance, and therefore does not fall under the warranty of habitability.

If the issue has caused other problems, such as your sinks no longer draining properly, or water damage to the floor or baseboards, the landlord may move more quickly to make the necessary repairs. However, if it was determined that the dishwasher was malfunctioning due to user error (for instance, you were allowing too much solid food waste), then you will likely be the one responsible for the repairs.

If the issues with the dishwasher stem from bad plumbing/pipes in the unit, then it might be determined those problems need to be repaired under the warranty of habitability.

What Can You Do When Your Landlord Won't Fix Your Dishwasher?

Make a formal request. If you first asked to have repairs done in conversation or by text, write a formal repair request letter, or request it by whatever method your lease states. Describe the issues you are having and any issues it is causing--such as poor draining or leaking. Make sure to be polite and straightforward.
Know your rights. Check your lease, as well as state and local laws to determine if the landlord is required to provide dishwasher repairs. If so, the letter can state any ordinances or clauses from the lease.
Make the repairs yourself. You can do the repairs yourself if your lease states. If it is determined that the dishwasher's issues were caused by anything related to warranty of habitability, you can likely be reimbursed. Keep copies of invoices.
Contact a tenant advocacy group in your area. They may have advice about how to convince your landlord to make repairs.

Let DoNotPay Appeal to Your Landlord to Fix Your Dishwasher

If you are having trouble figuring out how to , or need help writing an effective request, DoNotPay is here to guide you through it.

If you need to file a formal request for your landlord to fix your dishwasher, but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 4 easy 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.

And that's it! You should hear back from your landlord directly once your demands are sent.

Why Use DoNotPay?

DoNotPay has a successful history of providing fast and easy services. We know it can be difficult, tedious and time-consuming when dealing with landlords and repairs, but we have a history of quickly resolving issues on your behalf.

In fact, DoNotPay is here to guide you through all types of rental and landlord issues, and we can help you: