Plain English Breakdown
The official text states that tenant remedies for untenantable conditions still apply even if the landlord is required to fix recalled appliances.
AB-628: New Rules for Stoves and Refrigerators in Rental Homes
This law requires landlords to provide working stoves and refrigerators in most rental homes with leases signed, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026.
What This Bill Does
- Adds a stove capable of safely generating heat for cooking and a refrigerator capable of safely storing food to the list of items required for a home to be legally rentable.
- Requires landlords to repair or replace stoves or refrigerators subject to recall by a manufacturer or public entity within 30 days of receiving notice.
- Allows tenants and landlords to agree in writing when signing a lease that the tenant will provide and maintain their own refrigerator, subject to certain conditions.
- Exempts certain types of housing units, including permanent supportive housing as defined, from these new requirements.
Who It Names or Affects
- Landlords with rental units covered by leases entered into, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026
- Tenants in those specific rental units
Terms To Know
- Tenantable
- A condition where a home meets legal standards to be safe and livable.
- Recall
- An official notice from a manufacturer or public entity that an item is unsafe and needs fixing or replacing.
Limits and Unknowns
- The law applies only to leases entered into, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026.
- Specific conditions for tenants providing their own refrigerators are mentioned but not detailed in the summary text.
- The exact definition of 'permanent supportive housing' is referenced as defined elsewhere but not listed here.