What about appliances in my rental property?

Placerville Realty and Big Oak Property Management have been managing rental properties in El Dorado County since the late 1970s. We manage primarily single family homes, but also manage multi family properties and some commercial property as well. Homeowners ask us this question all the time - do I have to provide appliances in my rental home? And, what happens if they break?

Great question.

This question is multifaceted because we have to consider California state habitability laws, as well as what is typical in our market. As tenant-friendly as California is, landlords and tenants alike might actually be surprised as to what the law actually requires.

The legal lay of the land in California

Here's the surprising part. California law does not require landlords to provide ANY appliances in rental properties. Yes, you heard that right.

California law does not require landlords to provide ANY appliances in rental properties.

You are not obligated to furnish a refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, or even range/stove. Some jurisdictions require all of those items, but California does not.

California's civil code section 1941 focuses on essentials like running water, heat, and safe electrical systems. As of the time of this writing, they do not include appliances of any kind.

There is a bill going through the California assembly right now, Assembly Bill 628, which proposes to mandate working stoves and refrigerators for all new leases starting January 1, 2026. The argument is that “habitability” should reasonably include the ability to safely generate heat for cooking purposes and safely store food.

All of our rental properties include some form of heating for food. All single-family residences and apartments have stoves for that purpose. We have a few small with kitchenettes that don't have space for a full size oven, but even then we require our owners to provide at least a hot plate and a microwave.

The distinction between real estate and personal property

The important consideration is a distinction between “real estate” and “personal property.” Anything that is built into a home is considered real estate. That would include a built-in stove/range, a built-in microwave, a built-in dishwasher… you get the point.

All “real estate” must be maintained by the owner. So, if the oven fails, the owner is required to get it repaired or replace it. Same goes for the dishwasher or a built-in microwave.

Refrigerators, however, are not built-in. That would also be the case for washing machines and dryers as well. Because they’re not built in, they are considered “personal property.” They still need to be maintained by the owner, however, unless you write into the lease agreement (as we do) that they are “provided as a convenience, and may not be repaired or replaced by the owner should they fail.” 

With that clause in the rental agreement, you are now able to require the tenant to provide their own appliance if your appliance fails. 

Now you have the option… because the tenant isn't paying rent for a washing machine (or refrigerator, etc.), and you're not on the hook to replace the old appliance. You can if you want to, and we'll discuss the pros and cons of either position below, but at least you have the option.

We think that's a good thing.

Advantages of providing appliances

So why would you want to provide non-essential appliances? We believe an oven is an essential item, so in this article we're referring to appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers.

1. Including these items reduces the cost of moving for many tenants who don't already own those items. That will make renting your home potentially easier because the cost to move is lower.

2. It's true that convenience breeds loyalty. If you provide appliances, the tenants will generally be more content in the home. Their moving experience will be better (see caveats below).

3. Moving heavy appliances around can increase the risk of property damage. If you already have heavier appliances in place, the likelihood of property damages, reduced… that's a good thing.

4. Appliances are tax write offs; we're not tax accountants, but you should check with your accountant regarding the option to write off rental property expenses.

Disadvantages to providing appliances

There are also disadvantages to providing appliances. 

1. Repair and replacement costs; for fixed appliances you do need to maintain or replace them if they break down. For “personal property appliances,” If you don't have a lease clause as written above, you will have to pay to fix or replace those as well. The reality is, washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators aren't built to last these days… and repair costs are often higher than replacement costs. You also need to figure on the time it takes to get an appliance repair company out to repair the item. As long as the item is not working, you have an unhappy tenant.

2. A lot of tenants already have their own personal appliances. In this case, the question becomes, what do we do with the appliances you have kindly provided? This can become a conundrum, especially if there's no room on the property to store the appliances (like in the garage).

3. A third disadvantage is if you choose not to fix a “personal property” appliance you run the risk of upsetting an otherwise good tenant. Just because the lease states that you're not responsible to fix or replace an appliance, that doesn't mean the tenant won't be upset if you don't do it. There becomes an expectation that if there's an owner-supplied refrigerator in the home then there will always be an owner-supplied refrigerator in the home.

So what do we recommend?

Typically, when we have this conversation with owners, we start with what is currently in the home. If there's already a refrigerator, washing machine, or dryer in the home, then we usually leave things at status quo. But we ensure, as property managers, that any prospective tenant knows that the owner is not on the hook to repair or replace it if it fails. That covers you.

If there are no "personal property appliances" in the home, then we don't suggest you install them. I would estimate that probably 2/3 of the properties we manage do not have any of these items. And we don't have trouble finding good tenants for your homes, with or without these personal property appliances.

Placerville Realty and Big Oak Property Management provides property management solutions for rental home owners in El Dorado County. Contact us today if you would like to get a free, no obligation quote for what we think your home should rent for in today's market.

Placerville Realty and Big Oak Property Management cover areas ranging from Pollock Pines to El Dorado Hills, including Placerville, Camino, Cameron Park, Diamond Springs, Shingle Springs, Rescue, and more.