Maintenance playbook
Tenant has no AC: when it's urgent, what to check, and what to text
Updated
Cooling is not treated as an essential service in as many places as heat is, but that is changing, and in a heat wave the distinction does not matter to the tenant or to a judge. Treat a no-AC report in hot weather like a no-heat report in cold weather.
How urgent is it?
OwnAway files "no AC" and "HVAC failure" as P1 Urgent (24-hour target, owner notified immediately). Raise it to P0 yourself during an extreme heat advisory or when an elderly, infant, or medically vulnerable occupant is in the unit; treat it as P2 Routine (72 hours) in mild weather when the unit is still comfortable.
Two-minute checks before the HVAC call
- Thermostat set to Cool, below room temperature, with working batteries.
- Filter: a clogged filter freezes the coil and the unit blows warm. If it looks grey, replace it and turn the system off for two hours to thaw before trying again.
- Breakers for the outdoor unit and the indoor air handler — there are usually two.
- Outdoor unit: is the fan spinning, and is it clear of leaves, cottonwood, or a fence someone built around it?
- Window units: plugged in, on the right setting, and draining outside rather than into the room?
What to text
Sorry — that's miserable in this weather. Two quick checks while I line up the HVAC tech: is the thermostat on Cool and below room temp, and when was the filter last changed (if it looks grey, swap it and give the system two hours off)? If that doesn't do it, I'll have someone out [today / tomorrow morning]. If it's unbearable tonight, tell me and I'll bring a portable unit.
AC not cooling at [address, unit] — [central / mini-split / window], filter and breakers checked. Tenant is [name], [phone], home [availability]. Can you get there [today]? Reply with a window and I'll confirm.
Who pays
The landlord, for any AC supplied with the unit. If the lease supplies no cooling and the tenant installed a window unit, its repair is theirs. Filters are commonly assigned to the tenant by the lease; if so, supply them and text a reminder each season, because a clogged filter is the most common cause of a no-AC call.
Questions
Is a landlord required to provide air conditioning?
In most states, no, unless the lease provides it or the unit came with it — in which case it must be kept working. A growing number of cities and some states now set maximum indoor temperatures or treat cooling as essential during heat emergencies. If the unit has AC, keep it working.
How long can a landlord take to fix AC?
Where AC is a required or provided service, the same "reasonable time" standard as other repairs applies, and reasonable shrinks in a heat wave. Aim for a technician within 24 hours, and a portable unit in the meantime if the heat is dangerous.