Although many people have a goal of owning their own home, it is not a possibility for all. Some people depend on rental properties. Even though some might be lucky to find a great rental property managed by a great landlord, others get stuck dealing with the opposite – substandard rental properties and landlords that couldn’t care less.

Según la legislación de California, los propietarios tienen la obligación de mantener sus viviendas de alquiler en condiciones de habitabilidad. Si no lo hacen, pueden ser demandados. Si su casero no reparó su vivienda, ésta podría ser inhabitable y usted podría tener motivos para presentar una demanda. Para más información sobre sus opciones legales, no dude en buscar ayuda legal con los expertos de nuestro bufete lo antes posible.

We are a law firm with many years of experience handling all sorts of cases, including landlord-tenant cases. Here at Downtown L.A. Law Group, we understand the difficulties that can come with inhabitable living conditions, and we are ready to help you take action against your negligent landlord. If you would like to discuss your current situation with the experts at our law firm, contact us immediately.

Sobre la garantía de habitabilidad

La garantía de habitabilidad se describe en el Código Civil de California 1941.1 (la mayoría de los estados también tienen leyes específicas relativas a su garantía de habitabilidad). En resumen, la garantía de habitabilidad obliga a los propietarios a mantener sus alquileres en condiciones de habitabilidad. Además, según un caso judicial de 1974, la garantía de habitabilidad está implícita en todos los contratos de alquiler de viviendas.

¿Qué incluye la garantía de habitabilidad? Algunas de las condiciones que deben cumplirse para garantizar que la vivienda de alquiler siga siendo habitable son las siguientes:

• Un tejado, paredes exteriores, ventanas y puertas que impidan el paso de las inclemencias meteorológicas al interior de la unidad.
• Acceso a agua caliente
• Un calefactor que funciona
• Iluminación eléctrica (el cableado y los equipos deben funcionar)
• Paredes, suelos, escaleras y barandillas resistentes

Además de las condiciones enumeradas anteriormente que se incluyen explícitamente en la garantía de habitabilidad, los propietarios también deben mantener las reparaciones de casi todos los elementos de su unidad de alquiler. Mantener las reparaciones al día garantiza que la vivienda siga siendo habitable y también reduce los costes asociados a la reparación de problemas que se han ignorado durante demasiado tiempo.

A continuación se enumeran las diez reparaciones más comunes en los inmuebles de alquiler:

• Detectores de humo
• Fugas de agua
• Calentadores de agua
• Sistemas de calefacción, ventilación y aire acondicionado
• Tuberías
• Trituradores de basura
• Aseos
• Trabajos eléctricos
• Plagas
• Tablero de yeso

Although a rental property might be in tip-top shape at one point, it is normal for things to stop working and need repairs. According to the warranty of habitability, landlords must identify and address issues in their rentals to make the appropriate repairs and keep their rentals in a habitable condition.

What if the tenant caused the issue? Unfortunately, many tenants do not put in effort to keep their rental in good condition. Their actions can directly lead to issues in the property that could make it inhabitable. If the tenant caused the issue, whatever it may be, the landlord still has to act fast to address the issue; however, the tenant might be responsible for the costs.

Mi casero no repara nuestros fregaderos

Many issues in a rental can cause sinks to stop working. Issues with plumbing might result in the sink being backed up. The sink might also leak water. There might be an odd smell coming from the sink as a result of other issues in the home. The sink might not be properly connected to the water, or there might not even be access to hot water. Whether this is a kitchen sink or a bathroom sink, there is no excuse for it not to be functional. If your landlord failed to repair your sinks, the rental unit could be considered uninhabitable – and you could have grounds to take legal action.

Mi casero no repara nuestra vivienda

Besides having to repair sinks that are not working as they should be, landlords also have the duty to repair the entire unit – regardless of the specific issue that is present. There might be issues with the roof (like leaks, for instance), walls, windows, and doors. There might be issue with the plumbing or even the water heater, which could affect the access to hot water. There might be electrical issues that cause short-circuits and could even present a fire risk. In addition, issues with floors, stairs, or railings can present a fall risk. Whatever the issue present in the rental unit, it is the landlord’s duty to repair any issue or issues present in the unit to ensure that the unit is habitable. As previously mentioned, if your landlord failed to repair the rental unit, then the rental unit could be considered uninhabitable, and you could have the right to pursue a claim against your landlord.