Tenants have rights if A/C is out and landlord delays repair wnRenderDate('Thursday, June 12, 2014 4:26 PM EDT', '', false); wnRenderDate('Thursday, June 26, 2014 7:53 PM EDT', '', false); You're a renter, the air conditioning system just stopped working, and your landlord isn't responding to your calls. In this sweltering heat this situation can put you into full blown panic mode.Hopefully your landlord or property manager will respond quickly and repair your unit. But if they delay, Arizona law gives you the right to remedy the problem on your own, if you take specific steps."The first day, temperatures got up to about 90 in the house," Jim Craven said.Craven says he tried to keep cool in his Avondale rental home with fans and ice. The A/C compressor was shot. While he waited in the searing heat for the landlord to fix it, Craven wondered about his rights if he wanted to move to a hotel."Was it going to come solely out of my pocket or eventually would I be reimbursed with a reduction in rent for that month," Craven said.

Craven's landlord fixed the A/C right away, but what if there had been a long delay? Sharron Sauls is a landlord/tenant counselor for the City of Phoenix. She says tenants must give written notice to the landlord that repairs are needed, and they must be completed within five days. You can get substitute services," Sauls said.They include moving to temporary housing, purchasing an A/C wall-unit, or repairing the main unit yourself."You can hire a licensed contractor for up to $300 or less than half your rent, whichever is greater, to have the repairs made," Sauls said.Whatever your expenses, you deduct them from the next month's rent, not the current month."The law says a tenant cannot withhold rent for any reason, so withholding is different than deducting," Sauls said.A cooler Craven is glad to know his rights but isn't fond of that five-day waiting period."In the summer and the heat that we have around here, waiting more than a day, in midweek, it's not really acceptable," Craven said.

But that is the law in Arizona. Tenants can't deduct the self-repair unless they have waited the five days first.Again, you've got to give written notice to the landlord to start the clock, even a handwritten note is fine, and you must provide receipts and a copy of the contractor's license to deduct expenses.The Phoenix Landlord/Tenant office handles the whole state of Arizona. This agency should be tenants first option if they want to know their rights in any dispute with a landlord. Here is their contact information:City of Phoenix - Landlord/Tenant Office602-262-7210 (Serving all of Arizona)200 W. Washington, 4th floor, M-F 8am-5pmlandlord.tenant.nsd@phoenix.govAlthough you can call, walk-ins are encouraged and emailing is the fastest way for tenants to get service.Copyright 2014 CBS 5 (KPHO Broadcasting Corporation). Police evacuated an apartment complex early Friday morning in connection with a deadly shooting at a Glendale QuikTrip.Police evacuated an apartment complex early Friday morning in connection with a deadly shooting at a Glendale QuikTrip.Democrat Paul Penzone, who announced his candidacy in April, reportedly intends to sue Joe Arpaio's campaign over an attack ad that focuses on Penzone's past marital issues. 

Democrat Paul Penzone, who announced his candidacy in April, reportedly intends to sue Joe Arpaio's campaign over an attack ad that focuses on Penzone's past marital issues. best ac unit for houseIt could be the final storm of the season as a huge wall of dust made its way through the Valley. how to get ac unit workingThe massive wall of dust was about 4,000 feet high and stretched for miles. ac unit price rangeThe massive wall of dust was about 4,000 feet high and stretched for miles.A middle school counselor is being hailed as a hero after talking a student at Sycamore Middle School from shooting other students.The Phoenix City Attorney has sent Donald Trump's campaign a cease-and-desist letter regarding an election ad that some say gives the impression of an endorsement.

"The Donald J. Trump For President, Inc. campaign has violated federal and state law by using copyrighted materials in a campaign advertisement," Brad Holm wrote. "The Donald J. Trump For President, Inc. campaign has violated federal and state law by using copyrighted materials in a campaign advertisement," Brad Holm wrote.We can't wait to show you this video of a woman curling her hair with a popular snack.Yes, it's another moon term that you need to know about.  It's called a "Black Moon", and we're getting one Friday. This one may not be as exciting as a "Supermoon" or "Blue Moon", but you may have read that it's going to be the end of the world.  I'm not going to get into that. I'll just tell you what a black moon is. A black moon is the second new moon in one month. Basically, it's the opposite of a blue moon, which ... Basically, it's the opposite of a blue moon, which ...Pictures show students dressed in white sheets with pointed hoods and cut out eye holes. The students and the school initially said they were ghost costumes as part of "Spirit Week" dress up day, but that changed once the pictures surfaced.

The students and the school initially said they were ghost costumes as part of "Spirit Week" dress up day, but that changed once the pictures surfaced. It happened Thursday night near "The Village" neighborhood in Chandler at Alma School and Ocotillo roads.   It happened Thursday night near "The Village" neighborhood in Chandler at Alma School and Ocotillo roads. A Phoenix family turned in the keys to their rental home and got hit with a bill for thousands of dollars in damage. But the family says the damage wasn’t there when they moved out – and they have date-stamped pictures to back it up.There are any number of issues that can cause your air conditioner to stop working. Luckily, they’re not all expensive fixes. The problem could be just a loose wire that’s caused a power failure in your air conditioner. Or you could have a clogged air filter that’s impeding the air flow to the system.On the other hand, when AC compressor failure causes your system to breakdown, you have a major AC emergency service problem and a big expense on your hands.

The compressor is a vital and expensive component, and when it goes you may find yourself dropping a lot of cash on a new AC unit.The good news is, as much as 80 percent of the causes of AC compressor failure are preventable if the problems leading to the failure are corrected in a timely manner. These problems can be detected and eliminated during regular AC preventative maintenance.Related Article: 8 Ways AC Preventative Maintenance Keeps the Repairman Away.Your air conditioner’s compressor is often called the heart of the system. This is a good analogy for a few reasons:Now that you understand why it’s so critical to keep your compressor in good shape, let’s take a look at some of the things that can cause AC compressor failure and what you can do to avoid them.When AC compressor failure happens, it’s often due to an underlying issue that causes stress on the system. That’s important to know for two reasons:These are the common issues that cause AC compressor failure:When dust, grime and mineral scales build up on the condenser coil, the air conditioner can’t expel enough heat from the system and it’s forced to run constantly trying to cool your space.

The increased pressure and temperature can cause the compressor to overheat and fail.When your air conditioner’s refrigerant lines become blocked or damaged, the first thing you’ll notice is that the unit is not cooling as effectively. If the problem is not fixed, once again the increased pressure and temperature cause overheating and AC compressor failure.If your system’s refrigerant lines develop holes or cracks, the air conditioner leaks refrigerant. After a while, the level becomes so low that the compressor has to work harder to pump enough refrigerant through the system to cool your space. The strain can eventually cause the compressor to break down.If your refrigerant line develops leaks and needs to be replaced, make sure you get an experienced AC technician to do the job. A line that’s too large or too small for your system can cause premature AC compressor failure.If a less-than-qualified person works on your air conditioner and inadvertently adds too much refrigerant, or even the wrong type of refrigerant, it can be a deadly mistake for the compressor.

An electrical failure can result in a buildup of acids that cause a great deal of damage to other parts in addition to the compressor. If you have a failed compressor, make sure the technician tests for the presence of these acids. If he finds them, an electrical burnout has caused damage throughout the system that is probably not worth fixing.But electrical problems are often easily preventable when an experienced tech inspects your system: he can spot and repair damaged wiring, fuses and contractors before they take down your system and cause AC compressor failure.Related Article: A Guide to the Top 3 Power Related Air Conditioner Problems.The high heat and pressure in an air conditioning system, not to mention the locations where they are typically housed in New York City (outdoors, on rooftops, in crawl spaces) can introduce any number of contaminants that can cause damage. These include air, moisture, dirt, debris, leaves, soot, acids, and even bird and pest droppings.Related Article: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: How To Keep Your HVAC System Contaminant Free.To take the heart comparison a step further, think of your air conditioner’s oil lubricant like the blood in your body.

If there’s not enough, the system can’t work properly and all kinds of problems can result, including AC compressor failure. When your system is regularly maintained by a trained AC professional, he will check the lubricant levels and the condition of the oil pump to prevent this problem.When you take good care of your compressor, it will take good care of the air in your space with consistent, reliable cooling. That means having your air conditioning system serviced at least twice a year by a reputable AC service company. Make sure you choose a service provider with knowledgeable, experienced technicians with MSCA or NATE certification. That way you’ll know that they have the expertise to spot and prevent the problems that can cause AC compressor failure.Did you know that you’ll get the best deal on AC preventative maintenance when you invest in a yearly service contract? You’ll also get a maintenance plan that’s designed specifically for your needs and your budget. Want to learn more?