Ala. Code §§ 8-1-60 to 8-1-63 § 8-1-62
Lessee to Repair Injuries.
Operative Text
The lessee of a thing must repair all deteriorations or injuries thereto occasioned by the want of ordinary care.
Under Alabama Code § 8-1-62, a tenant who rents property is responsible for repairing any deterioration or damage that results from a failure to exercise ordinary care. The rule draws a distinction between normal wear and tear—which is not the tenant's responsibility—and damage caused by neglect or careless use, which is. This provision establishes a baseline duty of care that applies to the condition of the leased property throughout the tenancy.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Alabama Code § 8-1-62 supports landlords in holding tenants accountable for property damage that stems from a lack of ordinary care, as opposed to routine aging of the premises. Compliant operators typically document the property's condition at move-in and move-out with written records and photographs, making it easier to distinguish neglect-related damage from normal wear. Maintaining clear lease language that references this statutory duty can help establish shared expectations from the outset of the tenancy.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Alabama Code § 8-1-62, tenants are generally obligated to repair damage they cause through careless or neglectful use of the rental property, but this duty does not extend to ordinary wear and tear that results from normal habitation. Tenants who receive claims for repair costs may want to review whether the alleged damage truly reflects a failure of ordinary care or simply the natural aging of the property. Consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid service can help clarify how this distinction applies in a given context.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.