Besides being the landlord, owner and manager, I'm also my own licensed contractor, handyman and repairer. You touched on a sore subject. Tenants that refuse to pay any rent using the pandemic as a license to cheat me, but expect me to drop everything and cater to their every whim!

So a few months back during a heat wave a tenants 12,000 BTU air conditioner stopped working. They called my on my cell phone and "Demanded" I drop everything and come to their rescue! I responded by saying I will call my A/C Guy and get right back with her. She screaked! But you, Robert, the landlord is a licensed contractor -- you have to come now and fix it! It's over 105 degrees in the valley and I live on the second floor!

I said, I will NOT WORK FOR FREE! Each month when I received my rent checks, I apportion part of the rent to cover my Time, Parts and Costs. Since you don't seem to want to pay any rent, I will contact my A/C guy who's only a week behind due to an alarming amount of service calls. Expect a call sometime in the middle of next week for an appointment. Oh, the local supplier of A/C units is out of stock for a equally strong replacement.

My princess tenant thought she was going to die! She just inherited over a half a million dollars and decide to quit her job and call it pandemic related. She said, if I leave you my rent check on the kitchen table, will you come a fix my A/C today! I responded, if the rent is current, yes I will -- meaning I needed 2 months worth of rent payments.

Since then, I have used the same tactics for Garbage disposals, garage door openers not working so they have to lift the door manually. I used it on a broken screen door and window sash.

Unfortunately Vic as a "greedy MA LL with unlimited funds" (g) you have to maintain the property in a habitable state whether the tenant is current with their rent or not. If the BOH or a judge get involved you will have to do it anyways so bite the bullet & take care of it before it becomes a real expensive problem for not the tenant but for you.

If you're not familiar with the MA state Sanitation code I suggest you read & book mark www.mass.gov/doc/105-cmr-410-state-sanitary-code-chapter-ii-minimum-standards-of-fitness-for-human-habitation/download

410.100: Kitchen Facilities

(A) Every dwelling unit, and every rooming house where common cooking facilities are

provided, shall contain suitable space to store, prepare and serve foods in a sanitary manner. The

owner shall provide within this space:

(1) A kitchen sink of sufficient size and capacity for washing dishes and kitchen utensils;

and

(2) a stove and oven in good repair (see 105 CMR 410.351) except and to the extent the

occupant is required to do so under a written letting agreement; and

(3) space and proper facilities for the installation of a refrigerator.

(B) The facilities required in 105 CMR 410.100(A) shall have smooth and impervious surfaces

I like one of Robert J's replies(including this one) on another question where if he needed to replace an appliance in a home of a non paying tenant then he took them a used one that he had in storage that was older and did not match anything.

From a legal standpoint where I am, I cannot refuse/stop repairs simply because someone stops paying rent.