If you own or manage a Clarksville rental home, your lease should answer one practical question before the tenant moves in: Who is responsible for each appliance?
The phrase appliance responsibility Tennessee lease may sound like a narrow drafting issue, but unclear appliance language causes frequent disputes. A tenant may believe the refrigerator is included because it was in the home during the showing. A landlord may believe the washer and dryer were left only as a convenience. When the appliance stops working, both sides may have different expectations about repairs, replacement, cost, and timing.
A clear Tennessee lease should identify every appliance, state who supplies it, explain who maintains it, and describe what happens if it fails.
Important: This article provides general educational information, not legal advice. Tennessee lease requirements may vary by county, property type, ownership structure, and current law. Have a qualified Tennessee attorney review your lease form and addenda.
Does a Tennessee landlord have to provide appliances?
Tennessee rental housing standards generally require a dwelling to have a suitable area for food preparation, including a sink and provisions for a stove and refrigerator. However, the tenant may be expected to provide those appliances if the landlord supplies sufficient space and adequate utility connections for safe installation and operation.
You can review the Tennessee Department of State rules for rental premises and housing standards for the applicable requirements.
For a Clarksville rental, your lease should therefore state one of the following for the range and refrigerator:
- The landlord provides and maintains the appliance.
- The tenant supplies the appliance and is responsible for its maintenance.
- The appliance is excluded from the rental, even if it remains temporarily at the property.
Do not rely on an assumption that “the appliance was there, so it must be included.” Put the agreement in writing.
Which appliances should a landlord typically provide?
There is no single appliance package that fits every Clarksville rental. Your decision may depend on the property’s price point, neighborhood, tenant profile, utility configuration, and comparable rental homes.
Range or stove
A range is commonly included in a Tennessee rental. If you provide it as part of the premises, the lease should identify whether it is electric or gas and state that the landlord is responsible for ordinary repairs and replacement, except when damage results from tenant misuse or negligence.
The tenant should be responsible for reasonable cleaning and proper use. The tenant should not be responsible for repairing an appliance because of ordinary age-related failure.
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is also commonly provided, particularly in single-family rental homes and newer apartments. Identify the refrigerator by type when helpful, such as:
- Standard top-freezer refrigerator
- Side-by-side refrigerator
- French-door refrigerator
- Refrigerator with ice maker or water dispenser
If an ice maker, water line, or filtration system is included, state whether those components are covered. Otherwise, a tenant may reasonably believe that every feature operates under the same repair obligation.
Dishwasher
A built-in dishwasher is usually treated as part of the rental when it is installed and listed in the lease. Specify whether the tenant handles routine cleaning, filter maintenance, and removal of food debris while the landlord handles mechanical repairs.
Microwave
A built-in microwave is generally easier to treat as a landlord-provided appliance because it is attached to the property. A countertop microwave is different. If it is supplied for convenience, identify it as either included and maintained by the landlord or excluded from the lease.
Washer and dryer
Tennessee law does not generally require a landlord to provide a washer or dryer. These appliances are optional, but they require especially clear language.
Your lease should state whether the washer and dryer are:
- Landlord-owned appliances included in the rental;
- Tenant-owned appliances supplied by the tenant; or
- Convenience appliances that remain at the property but are not included in the lease.
If you provide a washer and dryer and want to maintain them, say so directly. If you do not intend to repair or replace them, do not simply leave them unmentioned. A tenant may reasonably assume that working appliances shown during a viewing are part of the rental.
What should the landlord repair or replace?
The answer depends on the appliance’s ownership and the language of the lease.
Landlord-provided appliances
When the landlord provides an appliance as part of the rental, the lease should explain that the landlord will coordinate ordinary repairs and replacement when the appliance fails through normal use.
The tenant should be required to:
- Use the appliance in a reasonable manner;
- Follow manufacturer instructions when provided;
- Keep the appliance reasonably clean;
- Report defects promptly;
- Avoid unauthorized removal or repair;
- Pay for damage caused by misuse, neglect, or intentional conduct.
The landlord should not charge the tenant for normal wear and tear. If a refrigerator reaches the end of its useful life or a washing machine fails because of age, that is generally different from damage caused by overloading, abuse, or an unauthorized modification.
Tenant-provided appliances
If the tenant supplies the appliance, the tenant should generally be responsible for its purchase, installation, maintenance, repair, removal, and replacement.
The lease should still address installation requirements. For example, a tenant should not install a gas appliance, high-voltage appliance, or water-connected appliance without written approval and qualified installation when required.
The landlord remains responsible for the property’s underlying electrical, plumbing, gas, and structural systems as required by applicable law. A tenant-owned appliance does not give the tenant permission to alter those systems.
Appliances left for convenience
Some owners leave a washer, dryer, freezer, or spare refrigerator at a property without wanting to assume ongoing maintenance obligations. If you use this approach, create a separate written appliance addendum.
The addendum should state:
- The appliance is not included as a required service or amenity;
- No specific portion of rent is allocated to the appliance;
- The landlord does not promise repair or replacement;
- The tenant may not remove or dispose of the appliance without written consent;
- The tenant is responsible for damage caused by use;
- The landlord may remove the appliance when legally permitted and with appropriate notice.
Have an attorney review this language. A disclaimer should not attempt to eliminate duties that cannot legally be waived, including duties involving habitability, safety, or required housing standards.
Why ambiguity causes appliance disputes
Most appliance disputes begin before the appliance breaks. They begin when the lease fails to answer a basic question.
Common sources of conflict include:
- The property advertisement lists appliances that the lease does not mention;
- The move-in inspection does not identify the appliance’s condition;
- The tenant believes a washer and dryer are included because they were present at showing;
- The lease says “appliances included” without listing each appliance;
- The refrigerator’s ice maker or water dispenser is not addressed;
- The tenant reports a failure verbally, but the lease requires written maintenance requests;
- The landlord claims the tenant caused damage without photographs or inspection records.
A property manager should use the same appliance list in the marketing file, lease, move-in inspection, and tenant portal. Consistency reduces misunderstandings and creates a better record if a disagreement develops.
Plain-language appliance clause checklist
Before you sign a Tennessee lease, confirm that the agreement answers these questions:
1. What is included?
List each appliance by name:
- Range or stove
- Oven
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Built-in microwave
- Garbage disposal
- Washer
- Dryer
- Freezer
- Other equipment
Avoid writing only “all appliances.” A specific list is easier to understand and enforce.
2. Who owns each appliance?
Identify whether each item is:
- Landlord-owned;
- Tenant-owned; or
- Present for convenience but excluded from the lease.
3. Who repairs the appliance?
State whether the landlord, tenant, or no party has a repair obligation. Use separate language for landlord-provided appliances and tenant-owned appliances.
4. Who replaces the appliance?
Repair and replacement are not the same. A lease should state who pays when an appliance cannot be economically repaired.
5. What counts as tenant-caused damage?
Address misuse, overloading, unauthorized repairs, improper installation, neglect, and failure to report a leak or malfunction promptly.
6. How must the tenant report a problem?
Identify the approved maintenance phone number, email address, portal, and emergency procedure. Encourage written reporting so both parties have a dated record.
7. What condition is documented at move-in?
Record whether the appliance is clean, operational, damaged, missing parts, or subject to an existing condition. Take photographs and have the tenant acknowledge the inspection.
8. Are special features included?
If an appliance has an ice maker, water dispenser, gas connection, vent hood, or stacked configuration, identify those features and any related responsibilities.
Include the required owner-disclosure information
In every active Tennessee lease and related lease documentation, include the true name and complete address of the property owner or authorized management agent.
A clear disclosure line can be formatted as follows:
Owner or Authorized Management Agent: [True legal name], [complete street address], as required for applicable Tennessee rentals under TCA § 66-28-302.
The lease should also identify the managing agent, maintenance contact, business-hours contact information, and emergency contact information when applicable. Keep those details current if the property is sold, management changes, or contact information is updated.
Read Haus’s guide to Tennessee lease disclosure rules and TCA § 66-28-302 for additional documentation considerations.
A national mortgage-rate benchmark for rental owners
Owners reviewing a rental property’s cash flow may also see mortgage-rate information in market reports. Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey reported a 7.03% average 30-year fixed mortgage rate for the week ending September 24, 2026.
That figure is a national benchmark, not a personal mortgage quote or a prediction of the rate available to you. Your actual financing terms may vary based on credit, loan type, property, down payment, lender, and other factors.
How Haus can help
A clear appliance policy is one part of a well-managed rental. Your lease should also address disclosures, maintenance requests, inspections, security deposits, entry procedures, and tenant communication.
Haus provides property management services for owners who want a consistent process for leasing, inspections, maintenance coordination, and tenant support. If you own a rental home in Clarksville or Montgomery County, contact the Haus team to discuss your property and management needs.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Tennessee landlord have to provide a refrigerator?
Not always. Tennessee housing standards allow the occupant to provide certain kitchen appliances when the landlord supplies adequate space and proper utility connections. The lease should clearly state who supplies and maintains the refrigerator.
Is a washer and dryer required in a Tennessee rental?
Generally, no. A washer and dryer are optional. If the landlord provides them, the lease should explain whether the landlord will repair and replace them or whether they are excluded convenience appliances.
Who repairs a landlord-provided refrigerator?
The lease should assign ordinary repair and replacement responsibilities to the landlord, subject to lawful exceptions for tenant-caused damage. The tenant should report problems promptly and use the appliance reasonably.
Can a landlord leave a washer and dryer in the home without maintaining them?
Possibly, but the arrangement should be stated clearly in a signed lease or appliance addendum. The document should explain that the appliances are excluded from the rental or provided only as a convenience. Obtain legal advice before relying on a disclaimer.
What is the most important appliance lease term?
The most important term is a complete, appliance-by-appliance list that states who supplies, owns, repairs, and replaces each item. Clear details are more useful than a broad phrase such as “appliances included.”
