HOUSTON – The Houston City Council passed a landmark ordinance on Wednesday requiring landlords to provide working air conditioning in all rental properties, and since then, readers have been sounding off.
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KPRC 2 is working to get your questions answered.
The council approved the measure 12-2. The new law goes into effect Dec. 17.
Readers respond
The comments have been rolling in on Click2Houston.com since the story broke. Landlords, in particular, have raised concerns about cost, responsibility and fairness.
One reader questioned what protections landlords have when a tenant misuses equipment.
“As a landlord, what protections do I have from this when the tenant sets the A/C to its lowest setting and the unit gets fried?” one reader wrote.
Another raised concerns about how the ordinance could affect existing rental agreements.
“Only two of my rentals have window units. I always made them responsible for furnishing their own window units, just like other appliances. They own the window units and the appliances they purchased. My rent and deposit are based off these things. The minute I’m forced to repair or supply a new window unit, the rent is going up at the first opportunity,” another reader wrote.
A third commenter acknowledged the need for air conditioning in Houston’s brutal heat but pushed back on the financial burden the ordinance places on property owners.
“I’m of the opinion that working AC is a bit of a non-negotiable in Houston, but that having or providing it is not inexpensive must be acknowledged as well. Landlords must be able to raise rents to cover the extra cost,” the commenter wrote.
We’re working on answers
These are important questions — and we’re working to get answers. We’ve reached out to the city and will have more for you soon.
In the meantime, keep the comments coming on Click2Houston.com. Are you a tenant or landlord affected by this new ordinance? We want to hear from you.