Most places, including North Carolina, make a landlord responsible for the “habitability” of rental property. This means rental properties must be kept in proper condition to use for their intended purpose. Habitability is an important right for renters, but can be complicated because of details and differences in habitability requirements.
North Carolina Implied Warranty of Habitability
In North Carolina, the implied warranty of habitability means that a landlord must provide and maintain safe and habitable rental property. “Implied” means the requirement applies whether or not the lease agreement specifically says so and even if the lease tries to waive the obligation.
Examples of clear habitability violations include:
- Exposed electrical wiring.
- A pipe leaking human waste.
- A broken front doorknob that won’t lock.
However, the implied warranty of habitability does not guarantee that anything at the property will be pretty, clean, new or issue-free, so it doesn’t cover things like stained carpet or dents in a wall. It only guarantees basic health and safety.
Landlord Responsibilities in North Carolina
Note: Check local city/county laws and ordinances for additional requirements. Additionally, landlord and tenant can negotiate separate from the lease, for the tenant to do specific repairs after move-in, as long as the tenant gets compensation and isn’t required to do repairs as a condition of rental.
Carolina Living Real Estate always follows the guidelines provided by the state!
There is a comprehensive list of Landlord obligations which can be found here!
We hope this helps with questions about your rights.
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