I am a Bochur renting a basement together with 3 other bochurim in Crown Heights.

 

I have 3 questions:

  1. Who pays for checking the Mezuzahs of the basement every year in Elul?
  2. Is it the obligation of the landlord to provide carbon monoxide detectors, and smoke detectors?
  3. There is an A/C unit that breaks very often. Do they have an obligation to replace it with a fully working unit?

All these issues were never addressed before we moved in.

 

Answer:

  1. Paying for the Mezuzos to be checked is the obligation of those who are renting. However, this applies only when there is an absolute obligation. Since checking every Elul (which is our Minhag) is only a stringency, therefore unless all renters agree, one cannot force the others to pay if they do not want to.
  2. If it is the ‘law of the land’ that the landlord needs to provide working carbon monoxide detectors, and smoke detectors, he must provide it according to Halacha.
  3. If there was no mention of the air conditioner either in contract or verbally from before the rent, the owner does not need to fix the air conditioner.

See the following links:

  1. Halacha2go.com #543 – What are my landlord’s responsibilities?
  2. https://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/faq/490/is-a-landlord-required-to-provide-air-conditioning

 

 

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