The AC stopped working. A pipe is leaking. The fridge is making a noise like a wounded animal. Who calls the repair man — and who pays? In Phuket's rental market, the division of maintenance responsibilities is a common source of conflict between landlords and tenants, largely because many contracts are vague about it.
After renting in Rawai, Chalong, and Bang Tao over seven years, I've developed a clear understanding of what the standard expectation is — even if it's rarely written down precisely. This guide will walk you through who's responsible for what, how to handle requests for repairs, and what to do when a landlord won't fix something that needs fixing.
The Core Principle
- Landlord's job: Keep the property habitable and functioning as rented
- Tenant's job: Keep the property clean and undamaged
- Grey areas: Pool, garden, pest control, AC cleaning — clarify upfront
- Rule of thumb: Wear and tear = landlord. Neglect or misuse = tenant
- Emergency repairs: Always document in writing before arranging yourself
The Master Reference Table
This covers the most common maintenance questions in Phuket rentals:
| Item | Who Maintains | Who Pays for Repairs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-conditioning (equipment) | Landlord | Landlord | If provided as part of rental |
| Air-conditioning (cleaning) | Tenant | Tenant | ฿400–800/unit every 3–6 months |
| Swimming pool | Tenant (usually) | Tenant | ฿1,500–3,000/month for service |
| Garden / landscaping | Tenant or landlord — agree upfront | Varies by contract | Common source of disputes at checkout |
| Structural repairs (roof, walls, floors) | Landlord | Landlord | Unless caused by tenant |
| Plumbing (pipes, toilets) | Landlord | Landlord | Unless caused by tenant misuse |
| Electrical (wiring, sockets) | Landlord | Landlord | Tenant responsible for light bulbs |
| Light bulbs | Tenant | Tenant | Minor consumable |
| Appliances (fridge, washing machine) | Landlord | Landlord | If provided with the rental |
| Water heater | Landlord | Landlord | Common issue in Phuket — often fails |
| Pest control (structural) | Landlord | Landlord | Termites, cockroach infestation on arrival |
| Pest control (routine) | Tenant | Tenant | Ants, geckos, general tropical critters |
| Mold (structural cause) | Landlord | Landlord | Poor waterproofing, building leaks |
| Mold (tenant cause) | Tenant | Tenant | Lack of ventilation, AC off all day |
| Door locks / window latches | Landlord | Landlord | Unless tenant damaged them |
| Paint / walls | Landlord | Landlord | Normal wear after 1+ year tenancy |
Air-Conditioning: The Biggest Source of Disputes
Phuket's tropical climate means AC runs almost 24/7 from March through October. This creates two predictable issues: filters that clog quickly and units that eventually fail.
Cleaning: Tenant's Responsibility
AC filter cleaning is universally treated as the tenant's responsibility in Phuket. The standard is every 3–6 months, though in dusty areas or if you run the unit heavily, every 3 months is wiser. Most AC servicing companies charge ฿400–600 per unit for a standard clean. With 2–3 units in a typical house, budget around ฿1,000–2,000 per clean.
💡 Insider Tip: Clean Before Breakdown
An uncleaned filter reduces cooling efficiency by 30–40% and can cause the unit to ice over and stop working. If your AC stops blowing cold, check the filter before calling the landlord. A filthy, blocked filter causing breakdown is technically your fault — not the landlord's — and you may be billed for the service call.
Equipment Failure: Landlord's Responsibility
If the compressor fails, the gas needs topping up (after several years), or the unit is simply too old and stops working — that's on the landlord. Document it in writing, request repair with a reasonable deadline (3–5 working days for non-emergency, 24 hours in extreme heat), and follow up in writing if nothing happens.
Swimming Pools: Nearly Always the Tenant's Cost
If you're renting a villa or house with a private pool, expect to pay for pool maintenance. This is standard in Phuket. A pool service company will come 2–3 times per week to clean, vacuum, check chemistry, and add chemicals. Costs range from ฿1,500 (simple plunge pool, twice weekly) to ฿3,000/month (larger pools, three visits per week).
What the landlord is responsible for: the pool pump and filtration equipment. If the pump fails, that's the landlord's cost. If the pool turns green because you didn't arrange servicing for three months, that's your problem and your cost to fix.
⚠️ Get Pool Maintenance Clarified in Your Contract
Not all landlords spell this out. Some assume the tenant knows; others will try to pass this on at checkout as a "cleaning" deduction. Make sure your contract specifies: (1) who arranges pool maintenance, (2) who pays, and (3) who pays for equipment repairs. Silence on this costs tenants money.
Structural Issues: Always the Landlord
Anything structural — the roof, exterior walls, foundation, drainage, windows (not the glass you break), plumbing systems, electrical wiring — is the landlord's responsibility to maintain and repair. In Phuket's climate, roof leaks after heavy monsoon rain and blocked drainage are common. Report them promptly in writing.
Water Heaters
Water heaters in Phuket fail more often than in temperate climates. If it stops working, that's the landlord's repair. However — and this is worth knowing — many Phuket bathrooms use inline electric shower heaters (the box on the wall above the shower). These are inexpensive to replace (฿1,500–3,500). Some landlords will expect you to replace the unit and deduct it from rent; others will do it themselves. Get clarity upfront.
Mold: The Phuket Tenant's Nightmare
Mold is genuinely problematic in Phuket's humidity. The key question is causation. See our dedicated guide on mold and humidity in Phuket rentals for the full detail, but the core principle is: structural water ingress = landlord's problem; poor ventilation or lifestyle-driven dampness = tenant's problem.
Always document any pre-existing mold on your check-in inventory. "There was already mold behind the wardrobe" is much more defensible with a dated photo from move-in day.
How to Request Repairs Properly
The way you request repairs matters for two reasons: it protects you legally if things escalate, and it's more likely to actually get things fixed promptly.
- Always request in writing. WhatsApp is fine — most Phuket landlords use it. The key is creating a dated record. A verbal request that's ignored leaves you with nothing.
- Include a photo. Send a photo of the problem with your request. It's harder to ignore and removes any "I didn't know it was that bad" excuse.
- State a reasonable deadline. Emergency (no power, flooding, broken lock): 24 hours. Significant but non-urgent (broken fridge, no hot water): 3–5 working days. Minor but annoying: 1–2 weeks.
- Follow up in writing if nothing happens. A second WhatsApp message after the deadline, referencing your first request, is important documentation.
- For genuine emergencies, arrange the repair yourself if the landlord can't be reached — but only after documented attempts to contact them. Keep receipts.
Our vetted Phuket property agents can find you managed properties where maintenance is handled professionally — not left to chance.
If the Landlord Won't Fix Urgent Problems
In a small percentage of cases, landlords fail to act on legitimate maintenance requests. Your options, in order:
- Send a formal written notice with a final reasonable deadline
- Have a Thai-speaking friend contact the landlord — sometimes cultural communication barriers are the real issue
- Arrange urgent repairs yourself, keep receipts, and deduct from rent — but only for true emergencies and only after documented refusal
- Engage a Phuket property lawyer to send a formal letter (฿2,000–5,000)
- In extreme cases (property is uninhabitable), consult a lawyer about early lease termination
Read our full guide to landlord and tenant rights in Phuket for the legal framework in more detail.
What Goes in the Contract
The ideal rental contract will spell out maintenance responsibilities explicitly. When reviewing or negotiating your lease (see our Phuket rental contract guide for a full checklist), push for clarity on:
- Pool maintenance responsibility and frequency
- AC cleaning responsibility and minimum frequency
- Garden maintenance (who does it; who pays)
- What counts as tenant-caused damage vs fair wear and tear
- Repair request response times and process
- What happens if the landlord fails to respond to urgent repairs
Confused about your maintenance situation?
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