2. Find out if your landlord can charge you extra money

If you pay for your own electricity separately from your rent, then your landlord cannot charge you extra to use an air conditioner since it doesn't cost them anything.

But the law says your landlord can charge you extra money to cover the running costs of your air conditioner installed on or after July 1, 2026, if:

electricity is included in your rent, and
your agreement does not prevent increases for the use of an air conditioner

This is called seasonal rent.

Your landlord must lower the seasonal rent if you remove or stop using your air conditioner. For example, at the end of the summer.

When you start using your air conditioner again the next year, your landlord can charge you the seasonal rent during that time.

Tell your landlord in writing

You must tell your landlord in writing before you install the air conditioner, and when you remove or stop using it. For example, you might tell your landlord that you plan to use the air conditioner in June, July, and August.

Your landlord should tell you the dates that your rent will be seasonally increased or decreased, and by how much.

This seasonal rent to run your air conditioner is different from your ordinary rent. Your landlord can only charge you this seasonal rent when the air conditioner is in use.

The amount of the seasonal rent

The seasonal rent increases cannot be more than your landlord's actual electricity costs for running your air conditioner.

If your landlord cannot easily show how much the actual cost is, the increase must be a reasonable estimated amount. This estimate should be based on your air conditioner's energy efficiency and intended use period.

Even if your tenancy agreement has different terms about these charges, you and your landlord must follow these rules unless your tenancy agreement says you can install an air conditioner without a rent increase.

Seasonal rent decreases

If you pay the seasonal rent to cover the operating cost of your air conditioner, your landlord must reduce the same amount when:

you remove the air conditioner, or
you stop using the air conditioner, for example, at the end of the summer

And you're responsible for telling your landlord in writing of any changes in the use of the air conditioner.