What is a repair responsibility addendum?
Most lease disputes about repairs start with a vague clause. The tenant thinks the landlord should fix everything, the landlord expects the tenant to deal with the small stuff, and neither knows what counts as an emergency. This addendum attaches to an existing lease and lists who looks after what.
The landlord's list covers structure, plumbing, electrics, heating and cooling, supplied appliances and alarms, and the tenant's covers bulbs, batteries, filters, blockages they cause and keeping the place ventilated. You can edit both and add lawn and snow duties. An optional small-repair limit lets the tenant fix minor problems and be repaid. There's a reporting route, response times for urgent and routine repairs, a definition of an emergency with a capped amount the tenant may spend if the landlord can't be reached, a clause on tenant-caused damage and a notice period for contractor access. It also says plainly that the landlord's legal repair duties come first.
- Best for
- Residential leases that need a clear split of repair and maintenance duties
- Signed by
- Landlord and tenant, initialled on every page
- You set
- Each side's list, a small-repair limit, response times and an emergency spending cap
- Length
- 2 pages
When to use a repair responsibility addendum
- Adding clear maintenance terms to a lease that only says "keep in good repair"
- Letting a handy long-term tenant fix small things and be repaid
- A house rental where the tenant looks after the lawn and snow
- A landlord who lives far away and needs an emergency plan
- Resetting expectations after a dispute over a blocked drain
What you fill in
17 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: landlord, tenant.
1 The lease
- Date of this addendum*
- Landlord*
- Tenant(s)*
- Rental property*
- Date of the lease*
2 Who does what
- Landlord's repairs and maintenance*
- Tenant's repairs and maintenance*
- Lawn, garden and snow (optional) The Tenant mows the lawn, waters the garden and clears snow and ice from paths and the driveway. · The Landlord arranges lawn care and snow clearing. · The Tenant does routine lawn and garden care, and the Landlord arranges snow clearing.
3 Small repairs
- Currency*
- Small-repair limit per repair (optional)
4 Reporting
- Report repairs to*
- Emergency contact (24 hours)*
- Landlord responds to urgent repairs within*
- Landlord responds to routine repairs within*
- Tenant may spend on an emergency repair if the landlord can't be reached*
5 Access
- Notice before routine contractor visits*
- Governing law*
6 Who signs
- Landlord signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The landlord or the managing agent signing for them.
- Tenant signature and date, initials on every page · The tenant named on the lease. All adult tenants should sign.
What the repair responsibility addendum covers
- The Landlord's responsibilities
- The Tenant's responsibilities
- Small repairs
- Reporting repairs
- Emergencies
- Damage caused by the Tenant
- Access for repairs
- The law comes first, and general
Using the repair responsibility addendum, step by step
1 Identify the lease
Enter the landlord, tenant, property and the date of the lease this attaches to.
2 Split the duties
Edit the landlord's and tenant's lists, and pick who handles the lawn, garden and snow if it applies.
3 Set limits and response times
Choose an optional small-repair limit, where to report repairs, the emergency number, response times and the emergency spending cap.
4 Set access and send
Enter the notice for contractor visits and the governing law, then send it to the tenant to sign.
Tips before you send it
- Check local law before you put anything on the tenant's list. Many places don't let landlords pass on duties like heating, hot water or safety.
- Give tenants the location of the water stopcock, the gas shut-off and the electrical panel when they move in.
- Ask for photos with each repair report. It speeds up the response and gives you a dated record.
- File the signed addendum with the lease in FileIt, and add the furnace service date as a recurring reminder.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Repair responsibility addendum: frequently asked questions
Can a landlord make a tenant responsible for major repairs?
Often not. Many places set repair duties that a landlord can't contract out of. The addendum says that where the law gives the tenant more protection, the law applies.
What is the small-repair limit?
An optional amount per repair up to which the tenant may get a minor landlord-responsibility repair done and be repaid within 14 days or by a rent credit. It never covers gas, electrical or structural work.
What counts as an emergency?
Problems that put people at risk or cause serious, growing damage, such as gas smells, flooding, sewage back-ups, fire, electrical hazards or a home that can't be secured. If the landlord can't be reached, the tenant may spend up to the cap you set to make it safe.
Who pays if the tenant caused the damage?
The tenant pays the reasonable repair cost for damage beyond normal wear caused by their household, pets or guests, and where reasonable gets the chance to arrange a qualified repair first.