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Who is responsible for replacing light bulbs in a rental, the landlord or the tenant?

DoorKeeping team

3 min read

Most leases make the tenant responsible for light bulbs inside the unit once they move in, and the landlord responsible for fixtures, wiring and common areas. Nothing in that split is universal, so write it in the lease. The one that matters for safety is not a bulb: smoke and carbon monoxide alarms follow separate rules in many states, so do not fold them into the bulb clause.

The usual split

In a typical residential lease the landlord supplies working bulbs at move-in and the tenant replaces them after that, the same way the tenant buys toilet paper and a plunger. The landlord stays responsible for fixtures, switches, wiring, outlets and the lighting in hallways, stairs, parking and other shared areas, because those are part of the building and tenants cannot reach them.

A landlord who also replaces bulbs in the unit is making a choice, not meeting a duty, in most places. Whatever you choose, put it in writing so a request for a ceiling bulb in a stairwell is not a debate.

Cases that need a decision

  • Hard-to-reach fixtures, such as high ceilings or recessed lights. Many landlords handle these or require a ladder-safe approach. Say who does it.
  • Special bulbs, such as fluorescent tubes, appliance bulbs and exterior fixtures. List the ones you will replace.
  • Bulbs that keep burning out. Repeated early failure can mean a bad fixture or wiring problem, which is the landlord's repair.
  • Landlord-supplied bulbs such as energy efficient ones. If you supply a type, the lease can ask the tenant to use the same type.
  • Common areas and exterior lights. These are normally the landlord's, and burned-out lights there can be a safety and liability issue.

State and local habitability rules vary, and some require lighting in common areas or stairs in good working order. Check yours.

Smoke alarms are not light bulbs

Rules on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, including who replaces batteries, differ by state and sometimes by city. Many states require the landlord to install working alarms and test them at move-in, while tenants are often responsible for batteries afterward and for not disabling alarms. Read who replaces smoke alarm batteries and keep it separate from the bulb clause.

At turnover, replace them all

Between tenants, put a working bulb in every socket and note the type, because a dark room in a showing reads as a problem even when it is only a bulb. Choose one or two bulb types across the building so spares fit everywhere, and use bulbs that match in color temperature within a room. This is a few dollars a unit and it removes the most common first-week request from a new tenant. Keep a short list of the fixtures that need a ladder or a special bulb so the next person to turn the unit knows.

A short clause that avoids arguments

  1. State that the landlord provides working bulbs at move-in.
  2. State that the tenant replaces bulbs in the unit afterward, with a list of any exceptions such as hard-to-reach fixtures.
  3. State that the landlord maintains fixtures, wiring and common area lighting.
  4. State that the tenant must report a fixture that fails repeatedly or flickers.
  5. Refer to the alarm section of the lease for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Example a made-up tenant reports a dead bulb in a hallway fixture. The lease says the tenant replaces bulbs, so the owner replies with a short reminder. Two weeks later the tenant reports that the new bulb also failed within a day. This time the owner books an electrician, because a repeat failure points to a socket or wiring issue the tenant cannot fix.

How DoorKeeping handles it

A tenant request for a dead bulb becomes a work order that you can close with one reply, and a repeat request for the same fixture shows up on the unit's history. Anything that sounds like sparking or burning gets an urgent response first, and you can ask Claude or ChatGPT which units had repeat lighting requests. Rent stays in your own bank account, and anything involving money waits for your approval.

Sources

  1. DoorKeeping: Connect Claude or ChatGPT (steps and tools list), read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

Is a landlord required to replace light bulbs?
Usually not inside the unit after move-in, unless the lease says so. The landlord is generally responsible for fixtures, wiring and common area lighting.
Who pays if a fixture keeps burning out bulbs?
The landlord, since a repeated failure often means a faulty fixture or wiring, which is a repair and not a tenant supply.
Who is responsible for smoke alarm batteries?
It varies by state and lease. Many put the installation and testing at move-in on the landlord and the batteries on the tenant. Check your state.

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