The Two Appliances That Just Became the Law of the Land in California Rentals
Sign a lease, renew a lease, or even amend a lease in California after January 1, 2026, and two kitchen appliances instantly become your legal responsibility: a working stove and a working refrigerator. Assembly Bill 628 (AB 628) has officially rewritten what counts as a habitable rental home in California, and for landlords in Merced, CA, the change arrives quietly—not on a fixed deadline, but the moment your next lease event happens.
The good news? Getting ahead of AB 628 is straightforward once you understand how it works. In this guide, Chosen Property Management—a Merced property management company with more than 27 years of experience serving landlords across Merced, Atwater, Turlock, and the greater Central Valley—breaks down exactly what AB 628 requires, when it applies, and the smart steps you can take now to sail through your next lease renewal.
Key Takeaways
AB 628 redefines habitability: Starting January 1, 2026, every new, renewed, or amended California residential lease must include a working stove and a working refrigerator as baseline habitability items—not optional amenities.
Stoves have no opt-out: Landlords must provide a fully functioning stove that safely generates heat for cooking. Tenants cannot waive this requirement under any circumstances.
Refrigerators offer flexibility: Tenants may agree in writing to supply their own refrigerator, but landlords must otherwise provide a unit that keeps food at 40°F or below.
Tenants can change their minds: A tenant who initially supplies their own fridge can later give 30 days' written notice requiring the landlord to provide one.
Maintenance stays on the landlord: Once you provide these appliances, you're legally responsible for repairing or replacing them if they break down during the tenancy.
What AB 628 Actually Changes for Merced Landlords
AB 628 amends California Civil Code § 1941.1—the statute that defines what makes a rental dwelling legally "tenantable." For decades, that list covered essentials like plumbing, heating, hot water, and weatherproofing. Now, functioning cooking and food storage facilities join that list.
What it means: A rental unit without a working stove and refrigerator (or a documented tenant fridge agreement) can be considered legally untenantable once the law applies to your lease. That elevates these appliances from a marketing perk to a compliance requirement—the same legal category as a working furnace.
The trigger is important: AB 628 applies to any lease entered into, renewed, extended, or amended on or after January 1, 2026. Existing fixed-term leases aren't immediately affected, but the moment you renew, extend, or change the agreement, the new standard kicks in. Month-to-month tenancies effectively come under the law as soon as any amendment or extension occurs.
Real-world example: Say you own a three-bedroom rental near UC Merced with a tenant on a lease expiring in March 2026. The current lease predates the law, so you're fine today. But the day you sign that March renewal, AB 628 applies—and if the unit's aging stove has a burner that won't light, you're now out of compliance with California habitability law, not just fielding a tenant complaint.
Breaking Down the Appliance Requirements
The Stove Rule: Non-Negotiable
Under AB 628, landlords must provide a stove in good working order that safely generates heat for cooking. There are no exceptions and no tenant opt-outs. Even if a tenant offers to bring their own range, the law doesn't allow that arrangement the way it does for refrigerators.
What it means: Every covered unit needs a safe, fully functional stove before the lease event—full stop. If your property's stove is limping along, replacing it before your next renewal is the smart, proactive move.
The Refrigerator Rule: Provide One, or Document the Exception
Landlords must also provide a working refrigerator capable of keeping food cold at 40°F or below. Here, though, the law builds in flexibility: a tenant may choose in writing to supply their own refrigerator instead.
What it means: That written agreement is your compliance record. A handshake deal or a verbal "I've got my own fridge" won't protect you. Get the tenant's choice documented in the lease or a signed addendum.
The 30-Day Switch: When Tenants Change Their Minds
AB 628 also gives tenants an escape hatch. If a tenant initially agrees to use their own refrigerator and later reconsiders, they can give 30 days' written notice—and the landlord must then supply a working unit.
Real-world example: A tenant in your Atwater duplex signs a lease in February 2026 and opts in writing to use her own fridge. In August, it dies, and she sends written notice requesting a landlord-provided refrigerator. You now have 30 days to deliver a working unit. Landlords who keep a trusted appliance vendor on speed dial—or who work with a management company with an established maintenance and vendor network—can handle this smoothly and affordably.
Your Ongoing Duty: Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement
Providing the appliances is step one. AB 628 also makes clear that landlords remain legally responsible for maintaining, repairing, or replacing the stoves and refrigerators they provide if they break down during the tenancy. Because these appliances are now habitability items, a broken fridge isn't a "get to it when convenient" repair—it's a legal obligation with real timelines.
This is where responsive systems pay off. Prompt repairs protect your tenants, your compliance record, and your reputation—and they're far easier when maintenance requests are tracked, dispatched, and documented professionally. If juggling appliance repairs across multiple units sounds like a lot, full-service Merced property management can absorb that workload entirely, backed by transparent pricing and written service guarantees.
A Simple AB 628 Compliance Checklist Before Your Next Renewal
Getting ahead of this law is genuinely simple. Before your next lease signing, renewal, or amendment:
Inspect every stove and refrigerator in your rental portfolio and confirm each is in good working order.
Verify fridge performance—the unit should hold food at 40°F or below.
Update your lease templates to address appliance provisions and include a tenant-provided refrigerator addendum.
Document everything in writing, especially any tenant choice to supply their own fridge.
Line up a repair plan, so breakdowns during tenancy get resolved quickly.
For the full text of the law, you can review AB 628 on the California Legislative Information site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AB 628 apply to my existing lease right now?
Not until a lease event occurs. The law covers leases entered into, renewed, extended, or amended on or after January 1, 2026. Your current fixed-term lease is unaffected until you renew or change it—which is exactly why preparing before that renewal is the smart play.
Can my tenant waive the stove requirement as they can with the refrigerator?
No. The stove requirement has no opt-out. Tenants may only agree in writing to provide their own refrigerator—and even then, they can reverse that choice with 30 days' written notice.
Who pays for repairs if the appliances break mid-tenancy?
The landlord. Once you provide the stove and refrigerator, maintaining, repairing, or replacing them during the tenancy is your legal responsibility under California's updated habitability standard.
Turn AB 628 Compliance Into a Competitive Advantage
AB 628 doesn't have to be a headache—it's a chance to modernize your rentals, strengthen your leases, and stand out in the Merced rental market with well-equipped, fully compliant homes. Landlords who prepare now will breeze through their next renewal while others scramble.
Chosen Property Management makes it easy. Our team stays current on every California landlord law so you don't have to, handling lease updates, appliance inspections, maintenance coordination, and everything in between. Call us today at 209-677-4477, or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and see how our Merced property management services keep your investment compliant and profitable.
