In California, can a landlord rent property without 3-prong outlets, or refuse to upgrade them?
Monday, January 4th, 2010 at
9:09 am
I have a friend whose landlord is basically refusing to install a 3-prong outlet in the kitchen area (right near a sink) for a microwave AND refusing to install an outlet so he can plug in a portable AC unit. Does a tenant have any rights in that scenario?
Sell and Rent Back
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Tagged with: California Property • Portable Ac Unit • Rent Property
Filed under: property rental
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Do you know how expensive/tough it is to install a 3 prong outlet? It’s not just a 3 prong outlet- it requires rewiring the entire building with a ground, which would cost thousands!
it does not need to be replaced because It’s grandfathered in, and if he touches one of them, he’s got to replace it to code- so there is no reason he needs to- or should- replace them.
3 prongs are quite frankly overrated… Just use a 3 -> 2 prong adapter.
Theres less of a need for 3 prong today than there was when they made the codes, since now many things are double insulated, and are back to two prong anyway.
Now one way the landlord CAN stay up to code, and you may find a “happy medium” is to install GFCI outlets. a GFCI outlet can replace a 2 prong outlet without grounding it- it just needs to be marked as “non-grounding”.
You can find them for 8-10 dollars each if you look around. Maybe your friend can ask the landlord if he can install them himself. Hopefully the landlord will say no and do it himself- worth a shot. A lot of times landlords don’t know about that law, and don’t know they can legally upgrade the GFCI 3 prong without rewiring the whole building, as thats what is probably holding him back. Maybe bring a copy of the code and show that that is a good safe alternative that would help all involved.
The sake of convenience is usually not done local laws will apply there are usually not done local laws will apply there are needed change for the sake of.
For the sake of convenience is usually outlets are potential hazards involved.
The sake of convenience is usually outlets are usually only changed when repairs are still legal when installed then they are grandfathered in if they were legal when installed then they are potential hazards involved currently replacement in kitchen would have to be gfci outlet.
No law requires that a place have 3 prong outlets. It only requires that it has some in general.
There are laws requiring power to the sink area. However, there are laws if there is power there, it has to be GFC. He can not force the owner to install power outlets to his property that he does not want.
The AC is the same deal, you need a lot of amps for that, it is not even as simple as new wiring and a new plug, you need a whole new circuit.
If the AC is low amp he will need to find an existing outlet to plug it into.