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Property Management FAQS

This Property Management FAQ section was designed to help you navigate some of the difficult questions that come up in the day-to-day life of property management. No question is too small, and we try to address as many as possible in the drop-down below.  For more helpful information, visit RentLife® Property Management Blog for updated property management information and articles!

I am renting a home where the Landlord supplied the refrigerator, and the refrigerator broke down. Who is responsible for the lost food, the Landlord or the Tenant?

  • If the refrigerator is the responsibility of the Landlord and is clearly specified in the contract, then the Landlord needs to repair or replace the fridge. However, the Landlord is not responsible for your food inside. If you buy a refrigerator from Best Buy (with a 5-year warranty) and it malfunctions, would they pay for your food inside the fridge?
  • Refrigerators break down, regardless of who owns them. You’d have to pay for the spoiled food if it were your refrigerator. If the unit stops working, you must find an alternative to store your food.
  • If you know your neighbors well enough, ask them to borrow some fridge/freezer space. Refrigerators make great ice chests, buy some freezer-pack inserts and keep them frozen. Plan where you can buy some Dry Ice. Dry Ice is handy for freezing and keeping things frozen because of its freezing temperature of -109.3 F. Be sure to take an ice chest to pick up the Dry Ice and use insulated gloves when handling Dry Ice.
  • Not only will taking these steps help when your refrigerator breaks down, but it will also help when we have power outages due to storms or other natural disasters.
  • If you have renters insurance, you may want to check with your insurance company to see if food spoilage is covered.