What do Kentucky landlord tenant laws say about repairs, entry and deposits?

Kentucky landlord tenant days, months and the heat season, with sources

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Who does Kentucky landlord tenant law cover?

The Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, KRS 383.505 to 383.705, governs a rental only where a city, county or urban-county government has enacted it in its entirety and without amendment (383.500), and even there some arrangements are not governed by it: 383.535(4) leaves out transient occupancy, “Transient occupancy in a hotel, or motel, or lodgings subject to state transient lodgings or room occupancy excise tax act.” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.535), read 2026-10-30.

Section 383.535(5) adds occupancy by an employee of a landlord whose right to occupancy is conditional upon employment in and about the premises, and 383.535(6) occupancy by an owner of a condominium unit or a holder of a proprietary lease in a cooperative; both are not governed by the act.

Section 383.535(6) reads, as one of the arrangements not governed by KRS 383.505 to 383.715: “Occupancy by an owner of a condominium unit or a holder of a proprietary lease in a cooperative.” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.535) A rented condominium unit is a different case: the exclusion names occupancy by an owner of a condominium unit.

Whatever kind of rental you manage, when a unit needs a repair you can describe the job once on InstaBids, add photos and get written bids on the same scope.

What repairs is a landlord responsible for in Kentucky?

Where the act is enacted, 383.595(1)(b) puts the repair duty on the landlord: “Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition;” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.595), read 2026-10-30.

Paragraph (a) of 383.595(1) ties the landlord to the codes: “Comply with the requirements of applicable building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety;” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.595) Under 383.595(2), when that code duty is greater than any other paragraph, the landlord's duty is set by paragraph (a).

Paragraph (d) has the landlord maintain in good and safe working order the facilities and appliances supplied or required to be supplied by him, air-conditioning and elevators named: “Maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and other facilities and appliances, including elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by him; and” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.595)

Paragraph (c) has the landlord keep all common areas of the premises in a clean and safe condition: “Keep all common areas of the premises in a clean and safe condition;” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.595)

For a single family residence, 383.595(3) lets the landlord and tenant agree in writing that the tenant perform specified repairs, but only in good faith and not to evade the landlord's obligations to make all repairs for a fit and habitable condition.

For a habitability repair such as a roof leak, a broken air conditioner or a common-area fix, a property manager can post the job on InstaBids and compare written bids.

How long does a landlord have to make repairs in Kentucky?

Where the act is enacted, the clock is fourteen (14) days from the tenant's written notice of a material noncompliance or a noncompliance with KRS 383.595 materially affecting health and safety (383.625(1)): “Except as provided in KRS 383.505 to 383.715, if there is a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or a noncompliance with KRS 383.595 materially affecting health and safety, the tenant may deliver a written notice to the landlord specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach and that the rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than thirty (30) days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied in fourteen (14) days, and the rental agreement shall terminate as provided in the notice subject to the following:” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.625), read 2026-10-30.

The termination date in that written notice of a material noncompliance is not less than thirty (30) days after receipt (383.625(1)), and under 383.625(1)(a) the rental agreement shall not terminate if the landlord adequately remedies the breach before that date.

For reasonable heat, 383.595(1)(e) gives the landlord a season rather than a day count: “Supply running water and reasonable amounts of hot water at all times and reasonable heat between October 1 and May 1 except where the building that includes the dwelling unit is not required by law to be equipped for that purpose, or the dwelling unit is so constructed that heat or hot water is generated by an installation within the exclusive control of the tenant and supplied by a direct public utility connection.” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.595) The landlord duty to supply reasonable heat does not reach a building not required by law to be equipped for it, or heat generated by an installation within the exclusive control of the tenant.

When a tenant's written notice names a repair, you can describe that job once on InstaBids with photos and get several written bids on one scope to compare.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering in Kentucky?

Where the act is enacted, 383.615(3) sets two days for the landlord: “Except in case of emergency or unless it is impracticable to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant at least two (2) days' notice of his intent to enter and may enter only at reasonable times.” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.615), read 2026-10-30.

Under 383.615(2), the landlord may enter the dwelling unit without consent of the tenant in case of emergency; outside an emergency, 383.615(3) keeps the landlord to at least two (2) days' notice of intent to enter, and entry only at reasonable times.

Once the access window for a repair visit is set, you can post the job on InstaBids so contractors bid in writing from your description and photos.

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Kentucky?

Where the act is enacted, 383.580 sets no return day count; when the tenant leaves not owing rent, 383.580(7) has the landlord send notification of the refund and wait sixty (60) days for a response: “In the event the tenant leaves not owing rent and having any refund due, the landlord shall send notification to the last known or reasonably determinable address, of the amount of any refund due the tenant. In the event the landlord shall not have received a response from the tenant within sixty (60) days from the sending of such notification, the landlord may remove the deposit from the account and retain it” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.580), read 2026-10-30.

When the tenant leaves not paying the last month's rent and makes no demand, 383.580(6) lets the landlord apply the deposit after thirty (30) days: “In the event a tenant leaves not paying his last month's rent and does not demand a return of his deposit, the landlord may, after thirty (30) days, remove the deposit from the account and apply any such excess to the debt owing.” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.580)

The deposit sits in a separate account under 383.580(1), for landlords requiring security deposits prior to occupancy: “All landlords of residential property requiring security deposits prior to occupancy shall be required to deposit all tenants' security deposits in an account used only for that purpose, in any bank or other lending institution subject to regulation by the Commonwealth of Kentucky or any agency of the United States government.” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.580)

At move-out, 383.580(3) has the landlord inspect the premises and compile a comprehensive listing of any damage to the unit with the estimated cost of repairing it, and under 383.580(4) no landlord shall be entitled to retain any portion of a security deposit without the separate account and the damage listings: “No landlord shall be entitled to retain any portion of a security deposit if the security deposit was not deposited in a separate account as required by subsection (1) of this section and if the initial and final damage listings required by subsections (2) and (3) of this section are not provided.” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.580)

For move-out cleaning and repairs on the damage listing, a property manager can post each job on InstaBids and line up the written bids side by side.

When can a tenant end a lease over repairs in Kentucky?

Where the act is enacted, 383.625(1) lets the tenant deliver a written notice for a material noncompliance or a noncompliance with KRS 383.595 materially affecting health and safety, naming a termination date not less than thirty (30) days after receipt if the breach is not remedied in fourteen (14) days.

If substantially the same act or omission recurs within six (6) months after notice, 383.625(1)(b) shortens it: “If substantially the same act or omission which constituted a prior noncompliance covered by subsection (1) of which notice was given recurs within six (6) months, the tenant may terminate the rental agreement upon at least fourteen (14) days' written notice specifying the breach and the date of termination of the rental agreement.” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.625), read 2026-10-30.

Under 383.625(1)(c), even after a written notice of a material noncompliance, the tenant may not terminate for a condition caused by the deliberate or negligent act or omission of the tenant, a member of his family, or another person on the premises with his consent.

To line up a contractor for a repair a tenant says affects health and safety, you can post that job on InstaBids and get written bids from more than one contractor.

When can a tenant withhold rent over repairs in Kentucky?

Where the act is enacted, 383.635(1) is a repair-and-deduct rule, not a withholding rule, for a noncompliance that materially affects health and safety and is under the subsection's cost ceiling; the landlord willfully fails to comply within fourteen (14) days after written notice: “If the landlord willfully fails to comply within fourteen (14) days after being notified by the tenant in writing or as promptly as conditions require in case of emergency, the tenant may cause the work to be done in a workmanlike manner and, after submitting to the landlord an itemized statement for the work actually done and for which the tenant has paid in full, deduct from his rent the actual and reasonable cost or the fair and reasonable value of the work, not exceeding the amount specified in this subsection.” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.635), read 2026-10-30.

Under 383.635(2), the tenant may not repair and deduct from his rent at the landlord's expense, even where the landlord willfully fails to fix a condition that materially affects health and safety (383.635(1)), if the condition was caused by the deliberate or negligent act or omission of the tenant.

For heat, water, electric or gas, 383.640(1) lets the tenant give written notice to the landlord specifying the breach when the landlord willfully fails to supply an essential service: “If, contrary to the rental agreement of KRS 383.595, the landlord willfully fails to supply heat, running water, hot water, electric, gas, or other essential service, the tenant may give written notice to the landlord specifying the breach and may:” (Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.640) Under 383.640(3), a tenant who gives that written notice to the landlord specifying the breach when the landlord willfully fails to supply the service may not proceed under KRS 383.625 or 383.635 as to that breach.

For a heat, hot water, electrical or gas line repair at a rental, you can post the job on InstaBids and compare the written bids that contractors send back.

Kentucky chapter 383 rules a property manager works to, where the act is enacted

What to put in a written repair scope for a Kentucky rental

• The repair in plain words, with photos, tied to the 383.595(1) paragraph the landlord shall meet: make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition (383.595(1)(b)), or maintain in good and safe working order the facilities and appliances supplied or required to be supplied by him (383.595(1)(d)).
• The date the tenant's written notice was received, since 383.625(1) counts fourteen (14) days to remedy a material noncompliance or a noncompliance with KRS 383.595 materially affecting health and safety.
• The access window, set at least two (2) days after the landlord's notice of intent to enter, except in case of emergency (383.615(3)).
• For a heat or hot water job: the dates, since 383.595(1)(e) names reasonable heat between October 1 and May 1, except where heat is generated by an installation within the exclusive control of the tenant.
• For move-out repairs: the landlord's comprehensive listing of any damage to the unit with the estimated cost of repairing each item, as 383.580(3) has the landlord compile at the termination of occupancy.

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Calling Kentucky contractors one by one, or one written scope?

Calling contractors one by one gets as many ideas of the repair as calls. With one written scope that names the 383.595(1) duty the landlord shall meet, such as making all repairs and doing whatever is necessary to keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition (383.595(1)(b)), you describe it once, contractors bid in writing on that scope, and you choose who gets your number.

Property managers can post a rental job on InstaBids today.

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Sources

• Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.625, read 2026-10-30: apps.legislature.ky.gov
• Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.595, read 2026-10-30: apps.legislature.ky.gov
• Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.580, read 2026-10-30: apps.legislature.ky.gov
• Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.615, read 2026-10-30: apps.legislature.ky.gov
• Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.535, read 2026-10-30: apps.legislature.ky.gov
• Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.635, read 2026-10-30: apps.legislature.ky.gov
• Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.695, read 2026-10-30: apps.legislature.ky.gov
• Kentucky Revised Statutes 383.640, read 2026-10-30: apps.legislature.ky.gov