Israeli Law Defines Who Pays for Apartment Repairs and Sets Strict Deadlines

In Israel, the responsibility for apartment repairs is divided between tenants and landlords based on two criteria: the cause of the damage and its severity. According to the Rental and Loan Law, landlords must cover repairs that are significant and not caused by unreasonable tenant use, while tenants are responsible for minor issues or damage resulting from misuse. For example, a 13-year-old air conditioner's compressor failure is considered normal wear and tear, so the landlord pays, whereas damage like a broken sign or clogged toilet from improper use falls on the tenant.

The law applies to residential leases lasting between three months and ten years with monthly rent under 20,000 shekels, excluding vacation homes, student dorms, and protected housing. Tenants must notify landlords in writing when a defect occurs. Landlords have up to 30 days to fix regular issues and three days for urgent problems that make the apartment unlivable. Contract clauses extending these deadlines or shifting landlord responsibilities to tenants are invalid, except in contracts outside the law's scope or between relatives.

If landlords fail to repair within the timeframe, tenants can either fix the problem themselves and demand reimbursement or reduce their rent proportionally. For urgent repairs, tenants may proceed without prior notice and still claim costs. The law also mandates landlords provide a habitable apartment meeting basic safety and utility standards. Failure to do so allows tenants to cancel the lease after reasonable notice.

Landlords are only exempt from repair duties if the defect was unforeseeable and unavoidable at contract signing and cannot be fixed or would impose an undue burden. Written repair requests protect both parties by documenting issues and distinguishing between wear and damage. Most disputes arise at lease end when landlords deduct repair costs from deposits and tenants contest whether damage is normal wear. The law emphasizes prompt written communication and clear timelines to resolve such conflicts.