Landlord asks about no lease rent house repairs

[crackers]

My jurisdiction is: texas

My 84 year old mother is the landlord for a 1930's frame rental house. The renter has been there about 15 years with no lease. She replaced the central ac unit 2 years ago for $6000. It quit working. The original installer said it was no longer under warranty and she began a month long attempt to have it repaired. We have provided the tenant with window units during this time. The tenant pays $500. rent. Can we just provide him with window units and say we cannot afford to pay any more to keep repairing the central ac? He is still demanding that the central unit be repaired.

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

While states have statutes that require that a landlord provide adequate plumbing, electricity, heating and (now often included) cooling, there is no law in Texas that requires the cooling be provided via a Central Unit as opposed to window units.

In other words, if you provide him with working window units (which more and more folks...myself included...are using to save on electrical bills) you have met the legal requirement.

Gail