Air conditioning broken? Resources for renters and homeowners to get help in hot weather

Without air conditioning, extreme heat is deadly.

By mid-August, 96 people in Maricopa County had already died due to or been caused by the heat this year.

Many people in Arizona rely on air conditioning not only to keep them cool, but also to keep them safe. So what can consumers do when their air conditioner stops working?

Let ABC15 Know viewer Dee says temperatures in her home soared after the air conditioning stopped working. Her husband is sick and the rising temperatures quickly became dangerous. Dee has a contract with an air conditioning equipment manufacturer. The manufacturer sent a technician out, but the repair didn't last long. She was told it would be about two weeks before another technician could come out and look at the problem.

In desperation, Dee turned to Let ABC15 Know for help. Our volunteers took the case and worked with the company to see what options were available. Within 24 hours, Dee's air conditioning was repaired and circulating cool air throughout her home.

Dee isn't the only one struggling with a broken air conditioner. Let ABC15 Know viewer Chantelle emailed us, “It's 93 degrees at our house.” Chantelle rents and says the property manager hasn't been responsive. Our Let ABC15 Better Business Bureau volunteer Roxanne immediately went to work trying to help. She stayed in constant contact with the property manager to escalate the case. The company sent Changelle portable coolers to help. And then, a few days later, great news! Chantelle emailed, “After 12 hot days, we finally have a working air conditioner.”

Our Let ABC15 Know Better Business volunteers work daily to resolve consumer cases like this, but if you find yourself in a similar situation with air conditioning problems, you can take action too!

Tenants have rights if their air conditioning fails during extreme heat.

Inform your landlord in writing by registered mail or through an authorized delivery agent that your air conditioning system is broken.

You also have the option of giving your landlord 5 or 10 days' notice to make the repairs. If the apartment is not repaired, you have the option of filing a lawsuit, terminating the lease and moving out, or fixing the problem yourself and getting a refund. Each of these options requires specific notice and the inclusion of specific language required by law.

For example, if you exercise your rights under the Self-Help Repair Act, which entitles you to call in a licensed tradesman, you must use certain wording in your written notice.

You can read more about your options online or contact programs like the Landlord and Tenant Program or Community Legal Services of Phoenix for advice.

For low- to moderate-income homeowners in Arizona, resources to repair or replace broken air conditioning units are limited but available.

• Arizona's federally funded Weatherization Assistance Program is designed to help income-eligible families with the cost of repairing or replacing air conditioning systems. For example, a family of four must have an annual income of less than $62,400 to be eligible for the program.
• The nonprofit organization Wildfire has a list of appliance repair assistance programs in Arizona.
• Maricopa County has a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Repair and Replacement Fund to help eligible individuals get their air conditioning systems repaired.
• Habitat for Humanity offers an emergency home repair program for homes in the West Valley.
• Some cities offer programs to help higher-income homeowners. Visit 211arizona.org to find information on programs across the state that offer heat mitigation, home improvement programs and utility assistance.