Rules about air conditioners – CLEO
Read more in What are the rules about air conditioners?
Reviewed: June 2021
| Landlord owns the air conditioner | Tenant owns the air conditioner | No air conditioner in the unit | |
| Can a landlord charge extra rent to run an air conditioner? | Yes, but only if electricity is included in the rent and the lease does not say that air conditioning is included. The extra rent must be based on either:
If the lease says tenants need the landlord’s permission to use an air conditioner or extra appliances, air conditioning is probably not included in the rent. |
Does not apply. | |
| Can a landlord remove an air conditioner? | Yes. But if they don’t replace it, the tenant can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to:
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Yes, but only if they have an order from a court or the LTB that says they can.
A landlord cannot sell or throw out a tenant’s air conditioner unless the tenant says it’s okay. To avoid problems, tenants should:
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Does not apply. |
| Are there rules about how hot a rental unit can be? | Maybe. Some cities and towns have rules about maximum temperatures in rental units. Call the local municipality for more information. |
No. | No. But if the place gets too hot, it might break human rights laws and the law that says rental units must be “fit for habitation”. |
| Who is responsible for maintaining the air conditioner? | The landlord. | The tenant. | Does not apply. |
| What happens if the lease does not mention air conditioners or extra appliances? | The cost of using the air conditioner is included in the rent if electricity is included.
The landlord can still ask the tenant to agree to a rent increase after they add an air conditioner, even if electricy is included. But the tenant can refuse to sign this agreement. |
The tenant can install an air conditioner. But they should tell their landlord first and have a professional install it.
If electricity is included in the rent, the cost of running the air conditioner is already included. A landlord can still ask to increase the rent. But the tenant can refuse to sign this agreement. |
Does not apply. |
| Can a landlord ban the use of air conditioners? | Maybe, if the ban is in the lease. But a full ban may go against a tenant’s human rights. And if a place gets too hot, it may not be “fit for habitation”. |
| Can a landlord ban certain types of air conditioners? | Yes, if the ban is in the lease.
If it’s not, tenants should check if there’s a ban in the town or city where they live. Condominiums may also have rules banning certain types. |
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Without a lease, the rules depend on what the tenant and landlord said when they made a verbal agreement. If nothing was said, see What happens if the lease does not mention air conditioners or extra appliances? |
CLEO’s Stepstojustice.ca has more information about housing issues. Visit stepstojustice.ca/legal-topic/housing-law. |
