Something breaks in almost every lease. The Code answers most of it — who repairs, what you have to put up with while they do, and what happens if nobody comes.
Whose job
Keeping the unit fit to live in runs for the whole lease, not just the day you moved in — unless the contract says otherwise in writing.
“The lessor is obliged: (1) To deliver the thing which is the object of the contract in such a condition as to render it fit for the use intended; (2) To make on the same during the lease all the necessary repairs in order to keep it suitable for the use to which it has been devoted, unless there is a stipulation to the contrary; (3) To maintain the lessee in the peaceful and adequate enjoyment of the lease for the entire duration of the contract.”
Number 2 is the repair duty. Contracts often shift small repairs to the tenant, and that is allowed — which is why the repair clause is worth reading before you sign rather than after something breaks.
What you have to put up with
“If during the lease it should become necessary to make some urgent repairs upon the thing leased, which cannot be deferred until the termination of the lease, the lessee is obliged to tolerate the work, although it may be very annoying to him, and although during the same, he may be deprived of a part of the premises. If the repairs last more than forty days the rent shall be reduced in proportion to the time - including the first forty days - and the part of the property of which the lessee has been deprived. When the work is of such a nature that the portion which the lessee and his family need for their dwelling becomes uninhabitable, he may rescind the contract if the main purpose of the lease is to provide a dwelling place for the lessee.”
Two things in there are easy to miss. Past forty days, the rent comes down in proportion — counting from the first day, not the forty-first. And if the part you actually live in becomes uninhabitable, the lease can be rescinded.
What you have to tell them
“He is also obliged to advise the owner, with the same urgency, of the need of all repairs included in No. 2 of article 1654. In both cases the lessee shall be liable for the damages which, through his negligence, may be suffered by the proprietor. If the lessor fails to make urgent repairs, the lessee, in order to avoid an imminent danger, may order the repairs at the lessor's cost.”
The last line is narrower than it looks. It is for urgent repairs, to avoid an imminent danger. It is not a general rule that you may fix anything and send the bill.
In practice
None of this is law. It is what keeps the argument short when it comes.
- Report it in writing, even if you also call — the date you told them is the fact that matters later
- Photograph the fault when you report it, not after it gets worse
- Keep the reply. “They said they would send someone” is worth nothing without the message
- If it drags on, write down the dates it stayed broken. That is what the forty days is counted from
- Keep receipts for anything you paid for, and do not throw out the broken part
If the person who showed you the unit was one of ours, tell us directly. We would rather hear it from you than not hear it at all.
This page quotes the law and links to the source. It is information, not legal advice, and it is not written for any one person’s situation. For your own case, go to your barangay or to a lawyer.
Law text checked 2026-08-09