Los Angeles ends strange rite of passage with new fridge law(nytimes.com)
nytimes.com
Los Angeles ends strange rite of passage with new fridge law
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/01/realestate/fridge-law-los-angeles.html
https://archive.ph/CG0Eq
65 comments
So the law requires a fridge be provided, but doesn't state what kind. So now renters can expect to move into an apartment with a tiny, old fridge that does not suit their needs. Then they have to find a different fridge that will hold more than a half gallon of milk, as well as find a place to store the provided, unusable fridge until they move out.
Uniquely you are allowed, as a renter, to turn down the refrigerator and bring your own if you agree at the signing of the lease. The landlord can't make this a condition but can accept it as a modification.
The bill is very poorly written and under specified. The only restriction is that the unit itself not be under any manufacturer recall.
The bill is very poorly written and under specified. The only restriction is that the unit itself not be under any manufacturer recall.
First versions of laws expected to meet significant resistance usually are. So you make v1 as vague as possible to get it passed, then once everyone is used to it and agrees it needs fixing, pass the v2 law you actually wanted to pass originally.
A thing I've experienced is people buying a bigger fridge, and then just leaving it when they move out because they're moving to a place with a fridge that is fine (for example, moving in with someone who has a nice fridge). Everyone walks away from that basically fine.
Especially the landlord who got a free fridge updgrade.
There is no actual argument here that wouldn't apply exactly the same to the stove and the toilet. If an apartment has a shitty fridge, it simply is a less attractive, less valuable property. If you want full control over such details, you can buy instead of rent, or you can buy your own frdge and keep the original in a storage unit until you move. If that sounds stupid, I agree that would be stupid.
Yeah, it seems like mandating transparency here would be better. I've never moved into an apartment that didn't have a fridge, but if the landlord wasn't providing one before, I can't imagine they'll spend on a nice one now.
I mean, if the lack of a refrigerator is a uniquely Los Angeles thing, it seems like you could just predict what will happen based on what happens in _every other city_....
they could do like germany where most apartment/flat kitchens are bare --the renter needs to bring their own appliances and furnishings. this means fewer appliances and kitchen stuff gets mistreated by the renters since they own them. kinda sucks to move apartments though.
as to why... german renter/lessee culture prefers having their own stuff to give it a more homey feel, i guess.
as to why... german renter/lessee culture prefers having their own stuff to give it a more homey feel, i guess.
"Kinda sucks" is putting it lightly.
It hugely sucks because things like fridges and stoves often need to fit the dedicated space in a kitchen exactly. The chances that your previous apartment and new apartment fit the same size appliances is virtually nil.
This is why it makes sense for them to just be part of the apartment.
I don't know what you mean by "mistreatment" -- anything in an apartment can be mistreated I suppose, it's not specific to appliances. If you damage anything, that comes out of your deposit. But I'm not really sure what there is specifically to damage about fridges and stoves? They get dirty and you can clean them. They don't generally require any super-special treatment.
It hugely sucks because things like fridges and stoves often need to fit the dedicated space in a kitchen exactly. The chances that your previous apartment and new apartment fit the same size appliances is virtually nil.
This is why it makes sense for them to just be part of the apartment.
I don't know what you mean by "mistreatment" -- anything in an apartment can be mistreated I suppose, it's not specific to appliances. If you damage anything, that comes out of your deposit. But I'm not really sure what there is specifically to damage about fridges and stoves? They get dirty and you can clean them. They don't generally require any super-special treatment.
The medieval French word (and English borrow-word) was immeubles - immovables. While it's not clear what these were to me, there is a distinction between buying furniture (meh, it's your stuff) and buying immeubles (which meant you were staying longterm).
But the point is: yeah, "immovable".
But the point is: yeah, "immovable".
As a non-German living in Germany, the German insistence on you buying your kitchen in a rental is really really stupid, and serves no purpose. Besides the schemes listed here, where the landlord tries to sell you the previous kitchen at full price, the old renter will do it too. If they're having you take over their contract, they have some choice in who the renter is, and will often condition their acceptance of your rental offer on taking their kitchen at full price or more. If you don't want it, someone else desperate will take it. There's also a robust marketplace of second hand kitchen appliances on FB marketplace, where the tenants tried to do the same thing or just generally got stuck with taking their kitchen, and now are trying to unload appliances that don't fit the new place. In Germany, its not just fridges. It's also the stove/oven combo sometimes, the dishwasher, and the lights and lightbulbs. It's a horrible inefficient system that just makes renting a nightmare, and keeps everyone in place because of the enormous hassle of moving (the standard 90 day notice period doesn't help either. Trying to line up a new lease and old one ending without significant overlap is also next to impossible. The German rental market is broken).
There is a scheme that is sometimes used by landlords in Germany in which an apartment is only rented out if the tenant agrees, before the rental contract is signed, to buy a fully fitted kitchen that is already installed — and usually at a price that is far from cheap. Otherwise, the prospective tenant does not get the lease. Given the current shortage of affordable housing in Germany, this puts the prospective tenant under considerable pressure to buy the kitchen from the landlord.
The landlord is fully aware that when the tenant eventually moves out, the landlord can require the tenant to take the kitchen with them — after all, it is the tenant’s property, not the landlord’s. The landlord can therefore demand that the outgoing tenant removes the kitchen. This again puts the tenant under pressure, because fully fitted kitchens very rarely fit into a new apartment.
At that point, the landlord can make an offer to buy the kitchen back from the departing tenant so that it can remain in place — but the purchase price is then only a fraction of what the tenant originally had to pay the landlord when moving in. In this way, the landlord can indirectly force one tenant after another to buy the kitchen and later sell it back.
The landlord is fully aware that when the tenant eventually moves out, the landlord can require the tenant to take the kitchen with them — after all, it is the tenant’s property, not the landlord’s. The landlord can therefore demand that the outgoing tenant removes the kitchen. This again puts the tenant under pressure, because fully fitted kitchens very rarely fit into a new apartment.
At that point, the landlord can make an offer to buy the kitchen back from the departing tenant so that it can remain in place — but the purchase price is then only a fraction of what the tenant originally had to pay the landlord when moving in. In this way, the landlord can indirectly force one tenant after another to buy the kitchen and later sell it back.
I've lived in Germany for four decades with plenty of moving around, and have yet to move into a place where a kitchen was not either provided or left there from the previous tenant (sometimes with a more symbolic compensation; it's not worth to rip it out since it often only fits that particular place anyway so there is pressure to give it away cheaply).
That's your story. Here's mine. My daughter moved out of an apartment in Hamburg. The fridges, washing machines, beds or whatever I can understand. They are designed to be installed after the building is complete.
What blew me away was being forced to remove the ceiling lights, and leaving the live wires dangling down. Don't underestimate the difficulty of doing this for someone who has to do it after working hours. You switch off the power of course, which leaves you in total darkness. Naturally I had not thought of that little complication beforehand.
What blew me away was being forced to remove the ceiling lights, and leaving the live wires dangling down. Don't underestimate the difficulty of doing this for someone who has to do it after working hours. You switch off the power of course, which leaves you in total darkness. Naturally I had not thought of that little complication beforehand.
Mistreatment can be handled in the contract.
I had a fridge slowly die on me. Previously I had hand-picked an amazing set of washer and dryers that I'm sure will last me decades. Then I searched for the perfect induction stove. Then a microwave with convection heating. I paid more than average for these appliances because I wanted them to last for a long time, and I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. So when it came time to buy a new fridge, I could not find a "premium" model. They all capped in price unless I bought a fridge larger than the standard size. I ended up buying a similar model to the previous, this time with a five year warranty. I'm confident it will die out soon, probably right after the warranty expires. Maybe because of the fact that it's running 24/7?
In short, I don't like shopping for fridges, and I'm glad fewer Angelinos will have to.
In short, I don't like shopping for fridges, and I'm glad fewer Angelinos will have to.
Fridges are really easy to repair and it is not as if we have made breakthroughs in compressor and insulation technology in last 15 years. You could probably jury rig control board from esp32 and weekend of coding - i mean it is couple of thermocouples and pid or bang bang algorithm.
Man, I can't wait to get to the point where I can call anything electrical "easy".
It's interesting to me how norms and expectations about what is provided with a rental apartment vary so widely around the world:
- USA: fridge, washing machine plus the below:
- Australia: oven/stove, kitchen cabinets, overhead lights, toilet seat, shower curtain, curtains...
- France: absolutely fricking nothing. Bare walls. You may have to install cupboards for your kitchen. Instead of overhead lights there will probably be just wires hanging out of the ceiling. If you're moving to the country for a year or so it sucks...
- USA: fridge, washing machine plus the below:
- Australia: oven/stove, kitchen cabinets, overhead lights, toilet seat, shower curtain, curtains...
- France: absolutely fricking nothing. Bare walls. You may have to install cupboards for your kitchen. Instead of overhead lights there will probably be just wires hanging out of the ceiling. If you're moving to the country for a year or so it sucks...
It's interesting how there's a negative correlation between tenant's rights and how furnished a rental is expected to be.
Most US apartments do not have washing machines. Higher end ones do and rental houses may but regular apartments don't.
Right, but most US apartment buildings have a room full of washers and dryers for the tenants to use.
They're becoming much more common -- most new apartment buildings since the mid-2010's stack a washer and dryer vertically in a dedicated closet. Less to do with "higher end" and more to do just with designing for it (e.g. washer water hookup, dryer gas and ventilation hookup, and dedicated closet).
In many buildings, the cheaper in-unit machines don't wind up being any more expensive to the landlord than the much more expensive heavy-duty machines in a dedicated area over the long run.
In many buildings, the cheaper in-unit machines don't wind up being any more expensive to the landlord than the much more expensive heavy-duty machines in a dedicated area over the long run.
The distinction is, if there is room provided for one, is it expected to be provided by the landlord or the tenant, not whether a typical apartment has one as an amenity.
Toilet seats are something that people transfer across apartments in France? What the fuck. I'm assuming a lot of tenants furnish the absolute bare minimum and spend their time somewhere else?
I guess so. We bought one then left it.
We bought lamps instead of paying an electrician to install overhead lights then uninstall them.
We bought lamps instead of paying an electrician to install overhead lights then uninstall them.
> France: absolutely fricking nothing.
I lived for ten years in a German housing cooperative, which is a member-owned, non-profit organization that provides rental housing within a market economy alongside private landlords. Tenants are also members, which offers long-term security and participation in governance, without the housing being state-owned or socialist in nature. When I eventually moved out, I was required by my contract to remove all wallpaper from the apartment—even though I had lived there alone, the walls were plain white, and everything was in very good condition. Scraping wallpaper off every room turned into a surprisingly tedious and nerve-racking process.
I lived for ten years in a German housing cooperative, which is a member-owned, non-profit organization that provides rental housing within a market economy alongside private landlords. Tenants are also members, which offers long-term security and participation in governance, without the housing being state-owned or socialist in nature. When I eventually moved out, I was required by my contract to remove all wallpaper from the apartment—even though I had lived there alone, the walls were plain white, and everything was in very good condition. Scraping wallpaper off every room turned into a surprisingly tedious and nerve-racking process.
No where in Australia would you expect a fridge to be supplied as part of a tenancy. It does restrict what you can buy, as may removalists will not touch move a fridge if there’s too many stairs or if you can’t get it in the door
Germany: the whole kitchen. Quite how a tenant would take a custom-made kitchen from an old to a new apartment, I don't know.
(Not sure if it's still a common thing, last decade it was, but I lived in places where the kitchen stayed with the apartment).
(Not sure if it's still a common thing, last decade it was, but I lived in places where the kitchen stayed with the apartment).
Yeah it was like that in France (at least when I lived there in 2006). Having to buy an oven/stove was not something I expected.
(OTOH, perhaps because of this situation, you can get some really cheap appliances.)
(OTOH, perhaps because of this situation, you can get some really cheap appliances.)
Interesting! I've never seen a flat rental in the UK without a fridge (washing machine mostly yes too, depending; dishwasher mostly not).
This is happening in Barcelona now due to the rent controls - where they strip everything out to provide the absolute bare minimum since demand far exceeds supply but the prices are capped.
Well of course. As rent control continues the failure is more obvious every year, so they try to socialism harder and mandate more things. As an owner you either convert to condo (if you can) and sell it, find some loophole, or just hold on as long as you can until they remove the rent control
Using government monopoly to solve private monopoly has to be the goofiest idea we continually try. It's right up there with unions. You can't negotiate successfully against corruption. If the system has no competition than corruption almost always creeps in.
Granted, it quickly solves some of the problem, but to act as if it is a sustainable solution is maddening.
Granted, it quickly solves some of the problem, but to act as if it is a sustainable solution is maddening.
I guess you're right that if the CEO is too corrupt, unions will be ineffective.
So... how do we solve private monopoly?
Lawsuits. Civil remedies include breakup of the company.
I was never sure why the ownership class preferred one large investment over many smaller or even medium sized ones. Apparently diversification is only good for /my/ portfolio.
The reality is, the current government security state prefers this arrangement, as it vastly simplifies their strategies for mass data collection and abuse. There used to be 30 cellular companies. There were so many they felt entitled to tell the government off when they overreached. Widely seen as a problem by law enforcement the message was received and enforcement of anti trust laws in certain sectors ceased.
I was never sure why the ownership class preferred one large investment over many smaller or even medium sized ones. Apparently diversification is only good for /my/ portfolio.
The reality is, the current government security state prefers this arrangement, as it vastly simplifies their strategies for mass data collection and abuse. There used to be 30 cellular companies. There were so many they felt entitled to tell the government off when they overreached. Widely seen as a problem by law enforcement the message was received and enforcement of anti trust laws in certain sectors ceased.
First name an example of a private monopoly so we can debate one that truly exists and isolate the discussion to that one thing
This is a nice effort at gatekeeping, but which would you prefer, historical examples such as Union Pacific, ADM, or AT&T, or more modern examples such as Apple and Visa?
Is there any reason you want to isolate it to one thing? Does that benefit the discussion in any way? Were you trying to project that you don't believe anything such as a modern monopoly can be said to exist?
Monopoly comes in many forms, and only the most limited version of the argument puts it at "100% market control," whereas, if you read the many good laws that were passed in the wake of consumer and market harms, you'll see there are four specific elements, any of which, are not only a criminal act but are widely considered "monopolistic behavior."
Is there any reason you want to isolate it to one thing? Does that benefit the discussion in any way? Were you trying to project that you don't believe anything such as a modern monopoly can be said to exist?
Monopoly comes in many forms, and only the most limited version of the argument puts it at "100% market control," whereas, if you read the many good laws that were passed in the wake of consumer and market harms, you'll see there are four specific elements, any of which, are not only a criminal act but are widely considered "monopolistic behavior."
Apple and visa are not monopolies. This is why we need to agree on a monopoly because there is such disagreement about what actually is one
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In the UK the fridge isn't actually required but is "conventional" in unfurnished tenancy. So you have to check, and maybe spend extra effort shipping fridges and freezers about.
Stoves .. anywhere which has done up the kitchen this century will have integrated oven plus stovetop of some sort.
Stoves .. anywhere which has done up the kitchen this century will have integrated oven plus stovetop of some sort.
“Los Angeles ends”... and its actually a state law, not any action by Los Angeles at all.
Yeah, I was wondering about that. Perhaps LA was the largest city in CA that didn't have its own ordinance on this?
Our last apartment in Hollywood did not include a refrigerator. It was odd, but we bought a small one that we now use in the garage of our home. This meant that the delivery folks had to haul it up through the building's aging elevator, use straps on their forearms to lift it over the newly installed flooring and set it in place.
The building was also rent controlled but, instead of placing the notice in a visible, public space, it was affixed as an afterthought in the locked basement laundry area.
The building was also rent controlled but, instead of placing the notice in a visible, public space, it was affixed as an afterthought in the locked basement laundry area.
“But the plans were on display…”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”
I've lived in LA ~12 years in a couple of different apartments. In all my apartment hunting I've never encountered a unit that doesn't come with a refrigerator.
My friend moved into one two months ago that had no fridge. I've seen a handful of similar units. Perhaps it's the price bracket you're looking in? These are often cheap apartments.
I lived there for 9 years, and moved nearly every year (7 times in total) and always had a fridge provided, it never crossed my mind that a place wouldn't have one.
Same. But the fine print was the fridge was left by previous tenant and I was on my own if it broke. Had the option to decline the fridge.
RE "... do LA apartments not come with refrigerators?!!.” ...." a rental not coming with a fridge is very common in other parts of the world....
"Rite of passage" is a weird way of framing a horrendous system for renters.
Such a strange and positives twist on such a basic....necessity. Maybe an Intern writing assignment
Thats just… weird? Why would you want to use somebody else’s fridge? Like I get its a few hundred dollars but they last decades. The Samsung fridge I still have was the very first appliance I ever purchased when I moved out at 18. Added to the fact that basically no free-standing appliances are included with rentals here, other than clothes dryers which I also hate and swap for my own.
We just bought a new fridge yesterday. We lugged our old one around between 5 different properties - 20 years old, still going strong.
The big problem is that fridges are not a standard size, and hence the spaces in kitchens are not a standard size. So there's a good chance when you move it won't fit (ours only worked because it's so small - which also made moving it not too onerous). It's a much better result for everyone if the apartment/house has a fridge that perfectly fits the space.
Also:
>Why would you want to use somebody else’s fridge?
This is a weird question. You're ok with using "someone else's" apartment, someone else's toilet even. But you draw the line at a fridge?
The big problem is that fridges are not a standard size, and hence the spaces in kitchens are not a standard size. So there's a good chance when you move it won't fit (ours only worked because it's so small - which also made moving it not too onerous). It's a much better result for everyone if the apartment/house has a fridge that perfectly fits the space.
Also:
>Why would you want to use somebody else’s fridge?
This is a weird question. You're ok with using "someone else's" apartment, someone else's toilet even. But you draw the line at a fridge?
I've not rented in LA county, but everywhere I've rented and the three houses I've bought all came with a fridge. They're large and awkward to move, and they typically last a long time. Why would I want to move one?
Might be nice to have a new one with no one else's mess, but they do clean up pretty fully when you take out all the shelves.
Might be nice to have a new one with no one else's mess, but they do clean up pretty fully when you take out all the shelves.
Is it any weirder than using "somebody else's" bathroom? I'm sure where you live you don't take the bathtub and toilet with you when you move.
Why would you ever want the hassle of moving a refrigerator around if you’re only going to be somewhere for a couple of years? Not to mention the potential damage to the apartment you can accidentally cause by moving such a large appliance around.
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The article is full of reasons why.
>Thats just… weird? Why would you want to use somebody else’s fridge? Like I get its a few hundred dollars but they last decades.
Citation needed on the longevity of new/fancy refrigerators past warranty. Heard too many horror stories. Even our basic LG had a recall on the compressor that we thankfully weren't affected by (yet) and has an issue with the gaskets not sealing very well all the time.
Alas, it's one of the few models that will fit into our tight space and still give us enough space (it has the handles built into the door, rather than sticking out another ~2 inches).
Citation needed on the longevity of new/fancy refrigerators past warranty. Heard too many horror stories. Even our basic LG had a recall on the compressor that we thankfully weren't affected by (yet) and has an issue with the gaskets not sealing very well all the time.
Alas, it's one of the few models that will fit into our tight space and still give us enough space (it has the handles built into the door, rather than sticking out another ~2 inches).