Quick answer
In a Malaysian rental, routine aircond servicing is usually paid by the tenant if the tenant uses the unit daily, while major breakdowns, old defects, and pre-existing faults usually sit with the landlord. The tenancy agreement, service records, technician report, and written approval decide the fair split.
SPEEDHOME has managed 30,000+ tenancy agreements across Malaysia, and aircond disputes are one of the top three move-out deposit flashpoints — and almost every one is settled by the move-in photos, not by who pays for servicing. Document the unit's condition at handover, agree approvals in writing, and the cost question becomes simple to answer later. For the wider repair framework, use SPEEDHOME's Who pays for repairs in a Malaysia rental guide.
How should landlord and tenant split aircond costs?
Use a cause-based split: tenant pays for ordinary use and misuse; landlord pays for age, pre-existing defects, and major equipment failure unless the agreement says something safer and clearer.
The split below runs on one causation test: fair wear and tear (gradual deterioration from ordinary, permitted use) is never the tenant's cost; damage (deterioration caused by a breach — misuse, neglect, an unauthorised alteration) is, capped at depreciated value, not new-replacement value. Routine servicing is a third, separate bucket — an ongoing duty of use, not wear and tear or damage. This mid-tenancy split is practical guidance; at move-out, the stricter legal version of the same test is Contracts Act 1950 s.74, which caps deposit deductions specifically.
| Aircond issue | Usually who pays first | What decides it | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routine filter cleaning or normal service | Tenant | Tenant uses the aircond during the tenancy | Service receipt, date, unit photo |
| Dirty filter causing poor cooling | Tenant, if service was neglected | Service history and technician note | Before/after filter photo, technician note |
| Drain pipe blockage from lack of upkeep | Tenant, if linked to poor servicing | Cause of blockage | Technician report, service record |
| Major part failure | Landlord | Age, normal wear, no tenant misuse | Technician diagnosis, item age, repair quote |
| Old piping, corrosion, or natural leak | Landlord | Natural ageing rather than tenant action | Technician report, photos, prior records |
| Pre-existing defect at move-in | Landlord | Issue existed before tenancy or was recorded early | Move-in checklist, dated photos, first report |
| Damage from misuse or unauthorised tampering | Tenant, if proven | Tenant action caused the problem | Photos, technician note, messages |
| Upgrade to a newer or better unit | Landlord | Improvement decision, not tenant damage | Approval record, replacement reason |
This table is practical rental guidance, not a fixed legal formula. If the tenancy agreement names a servicing schedule or approval rule, follow that first. If the clause is vague, the fairest test is cause, records, and reasonableness.
For the wider cost-allocation framework — including the deposit-deduction limits, evidence workflow, and betterment rule — read SPEEDHOME's Who pays for repairs in a Malaysia rental guide. For landlord-side repair responsibilities, see the rental property repair and maintenance guide.
What does aircond servicing actually cost in 2026?
Market ballparks from Malaysian trade operators in 2026: a routine chemical wash runs RM99–RM180 per unit, a gas top-up RM120–RM250, and a compressor replacement RM800–RM2,000+. These are directional figures, not fixed quotes.
A chemical wash is the standard once-every-four-to-six-months service in Malaysia's climate. A gas top-up is what a technician recommends when cooling drops and the cause is a natural refrigerant leak from corroded pipes — which is normally a landlord-side issue, not a tenant one. A compressor replacement is a major repair; the bill depends on unit type, brand, and whether the housing is repairable. When a technician recommends a compressor, ask whether the unit is still within its useful life, because under the new-for-old rule the recoverable cost is the depreciated value, not the full new price.
For current operator rates, the Kedaiaircond landlord guide is a useful reference (rel="nofollow" — SPEEDHOME does not endorse any single operator). Always get a written quote before approving any work.
The new-for-old rule: you pay depreciated value, not a new unit
If an old aircond fails through age, that failure is ordinary wear and tear, not tenant damage — and even where genuine tenant damage is proven, the recoverable amount is the depreciated value of the existing unit, not the retail price of a brand-new replacement.
The principle is called betterment, and it applies to almost every major-repair deposit dispute. A 7-year-old aircond that has been serviced on schedule is near the end of its useful life; its eventual failure is gradual deterioration from ordinary, permitted use — textbook wear and tear, and never the tenant's cost. Replacing it with a new unit may be the right operational call for the landlord, but the tenant's deposit is not the budget for a like-for-like upgrade. Even in the separate case where a tenant genuinely caused damage (misuse, neglect, an unauthorised alteration), a fair calculation starts from the unit's age, its condition at move-in, and the actual loss caused — not from the cost of the nicest replacement on the market.
Worked example: a technician quotes RM1,800 to replace a compressor in a unit that is 6 years into an assumed 8-year useful life, and the landlord can show the tenant caused the fault. Depreciated value = RM1,800 × (8 − 6) ÷ 8 = RM450. That RM450 is the ceiling a landlord could fairly claim for proven damage — not the full RM1,800 replacement bill. If the same fault instead traces to age or a pre-existing defect, it is wear and tear, and the fair claim against the tenant is RM0.
This is the single biggest mistake landlords make when deducting from the deposit: treating ordinary wear and tear as if it were tenant damage, or charging new-for-old for an old unit. The deposit exists to cover proven, breach-linked loss — not wear and tear, and not an upgrade to the property at the tenant's expense.
What should the tenant do before calling a technician?
Report the issue in writing, check simple user-side causes, and get landlord approval before committing to paid work. A receipt helps only if the landlord agreed to the scope or the issue was urgent and clearly documented.
Send the landlord four facts: which aircond, what symptom, when it started, and whether the unit was serviced recently. Add a short video if the unit leaks, trips the power, makes unusual noise, or blows warm air.
Before calling anyone, check whether the remote setting, filter, drain outlet, and power isolator look normal. Do not open the unit, cut wiring, top up anything yourself, or approve major repair work without written consent. If the landlord asks for a technician report, keep the report, invoice, and photos in one thread.
For a clean message format, adapt the tenant repair report template. The goal is not to sound legalistic. The goal is to make the next decision easy.
What should the landlord do before rejecting a claim?
Ask for records before saying yes or no. The landlord should check the tenancy clause, last service date, move-in condition, tenant report date, and technician diagnosis before allocating cost.
If the report says the aircond failed because of age or a hidden defect, treat it as landlord maintenance. If the report says the tenant never serviced it and the blockage caused leakage or damage, ask for the service history before deciding. If the tenant arranged unauthorised work, separate the useful repair from the approval problem.
Written approval matters. A simple message such as "Please get a technician to inspect only, send diagnosis before repair" avoids the common fight where the tenant pays first and argues later. For leaks that affect another unit, also read the property damage responsibility guide, because aircond drainage can become a building or neighbour issue.
What should the tenancy agreement say?
A good clause should separate routine servicing, breakdown repair, misuse, access, approval, and records. If the clause only says "tenant maintains aircond", it may still leave room for argument.
A practical clause should answer these points:
- Who arranges routine servicing and at what interval (e.g. once every 4 months)
- How service receipts are shared (a single WhatsApp thread, photo of receipt, or shared drive)
- Whether the landlord must approve repairs above a stated cost (e.g. RM200) before work starts
- What happens if the tenant ignores servicing and causes further damage (e.g. landlord arranges, bills tenant)
- What happens if a major part fails from age or pre-existing defect (e.g. landlord replaces; tenant not liable for betterment)
- How urgent leaks or electrical risk are reported (e.g. within 24 hours, in writing)
A usable template line for the aircond section: "The Tenant shall arrange and pay for routine servicing of the air-conditioner(s) every four (4) months. The Landlord shall pay for all breakdowns caused by normal wear, ageing, or pre-existing defects, including compressor failure, gas leaks from corroded pipes, and electrical faults not caused by the Tenant. The Tenant shall obtain the Landlord's written approval before authorising any repair above RM200. Failure to service shall not transfer liability for age-related failure to the Tenant."
Avoid vague phrases that turn every problem into a blame fight. Also avoid treating the security deposit as a shortcut. If a deduction is needed, it should be tied to proven loss, service history, report, and a reasonable calculation.
FAQ
Is aircond servicing always the tenant's cost in Malaysia?
No — the answer depends on cause, not category. Routine servicing and any damage that flows from missed servicing is the tenant's cost; major breakdowns, old equipment failure, and pre-existing defects usually sit with the landlord. The tenancy agreement and the technician's diagnosis are what decide which bucket the bill falls into, so start there before paying for anything.
Can a tenant claim back aircond servicing from the landlord?
Yes in some cases, but only with the right evidence. The landlord must have agreed in writing, the tenancy agreement must allow it, or the work must have been reasonably needed for a landlord-side defect (age, pre-existing condition, structural issue). Keep the approval message, the technician report, and the receipt in one thread — a verbal "ok" is almost impossible to prove later.
Who pays for aircond repair, landlord or tenant?
It depends on cause. During the tenancy, use the cause-based split above — tenant for ordinary use and proven misuse, landlord for age, pre-existing defects, and major failure. If the cost is instead a deposit deduction at move-out, Contracts Act 1950 s.74 applies a stricter, separate test: fair wear and tear is never a lawful deduction, and proven damage is capped at depreciated value, not a new unit's price. A normal breakdown by itself is not enough evidence either way.
Who pays if the aircond was already weak when the tenant moved in?
The landlord usually should handle a pre-existing defect, especially if the tenant reported it early or it appears in the move-in record. Dated photos from handover and the first-month message thread are the evidence that decides these cases — without them, the dispute becomes a he-said-she-said that nobody wins.
Is Zero Deposit insurance for aircond damage?
No. Zero Deposit is a managed rental-risk system, not a financial guarantee product. It replaces the upfront cash deposit; in the rare case of severe end-of-tenancy damage the recoverable amount can be limited, so it is not a blanket guarantee. The dispute path is the same: evidence, technician report, written agreement.