What do Louisiana landlord tenant laws say about repairs and deposits?

Louisiana deposit days and months, with sources

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What repairs is a landlord responsible for in Louisiana?

Civil Code Article 2691 (read 29 October 2026) is the lessor's repair article: “During the lease, the lessor is bound to make all repairs that become necessary to maintain the thing in a condition suitable for the purpose for which it was leased, except those for which the lessee is responsible.” (Louisiana Civil Code art. 2691)

Article 2682 lists the lessor's principal obligations: the lessor is bound to deliver the thing to the lessee, to maintain the thing in a condition suitable for the purpose of which it was leased, and to protect the lessee's peaceful possession for the duration of the lease. Article 2684 adds that the lessor is bound to deliver the thing at the agreed time and in good condition suitable for the purpose for which it was leased.

The lessee's share is Article 2692: the lessee is bound to repair damage to the thing caused by his fault or that of persons who, with his consent, are on the premises or use the thing, and to repair any deterioration resulting from his or their use to the extent it exceeds the normal or agreed use of the thing.

Under Article 2696 the lessor warrants the lessee that the thing is suitable for the purpose for which it was leased, with no vices or defects that prevent its use for that purpose, and the warranty also extends to vices or defects that arise after the delivery of the thing and are not attributable to the fault of the lessee.

For a repair that keeps a Louisiana rental fit for its use, such as a leaking roof or a broken water heater, you can post the job on InstaBids and compare written bids.

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

Civil Code Article 2694 (read 30 October 2026) names no number of days; it runs from the lessee's demand: “If the lessor fails to perform his obligation to make necessary repairs within a reasonable time after demand by the lessee, the lessee may cause them to be made. The lessee may demand immediate reimbursement of the amount expended for the repair or apply that amount to the payment of rent, but only to the extent that the repair was necessary and the expended amount was reasonable.” (Louisiana Civil Code art. 2694)

The demand usually follows the lessee's notice: Article 2688 says the lessee is bound to notify the lessor without delay when the thing has been damaged or requires repair, or when his possession has been disturbed by a third person.

Article 2693 covers the other direction: if during the lease the thing requires a repair that cannot be postponed until the end of the lease, the lessor has the right to make that repair even if this causes the lessee to suffer inconvenience or loss of use of the thing.

Once a tenant asks for a repair, a property manager can describe the job on InstaBids, add photos and get written bids on the same scope to compare side by side.

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

Revised Statutes 9:3251(A) (read 29 October 2026) covers a deposit for residential or dwelling premises: “A. Any advance or deposit of money furnished by a tenant or lessee to a landlord or lessor to secure the performance of any part of a written or oral lease or rental agreement shall be returned to the tenant or lessee of residential or dwelling premises within one month after the lease shall terminate.” (Louisiana Revised Statutes 9:3251)

If any portion of an advance or deposit is retained by a landlord or lessor, 9:3251(A) says he shall forward to the tenant or lessee an itemized statement accounting for the proceeds which are retained and giving the reasons, within one month after the date the tenancy terminates or within fifteen days after the date that is one month after the tenancy terminates.

Under Revised Statutes 9:3252(A), failure to remit within thirty days after written demand for a refund shall constitute willful failure by the landlord or lessor to comply with 9:3251.

Revised Statutes 9:3251(C) says Paragraph A, under which a residential or dwelling deposit shall be returned to the tenant by the landlord or lessor, does not apply when the tenant abandons the premises, either without giving notice as required or prior to the termination of the lease.

For move-out cleaning and repairs before a deposit statement goes out, you can post the job on InstaBids and compare written bids on the same scope.

When can a tenant withhold rent over repairs in Louisiana?

Civil Code Article 2694 (read 30 October 2026) ties rent to a repair the lessor does not make: if the lessor fails to perform his obligation to make necessary repairs within a reasonable time after demand by the lessee, the lessee may cause them to be made and may demand immediate reimbursement of the amount expended or apply that amount to the payment of rent, but only to the extent that the repair was necessary and the expended amount was reasonable.

For a repair that cannot be postponed until the end of the lease, Civil Code Article 2693 (read 30 October 2026) says the lessee may obtain a reduction or abatement of the rent, or a dissolution of the lease, depending on all of the circumstances: “If during the lease the thing requires a repair that cannot be postponed until the end of the lease, the lessor has the right to make that repair even if this causes the lessee to suffer inconvenience or loss of use of the thing. In such a case, the lessee may obtain a reduction or abatement of the rent, or a dissolution of the lease, depending on all of the circumstances, including each party's fault or responsibility for the repair, the length of the repair period, and the extent of the loss of use.” (Louisiana Civil Code art. 2693)

To get a necessary repair moving before a rent dispute starts, a property manager can post the job on InstaBids and compare written bids side by side.

Who does Louisiana landlord tenant law cover?

Civil Code Article 2668 (read 30 October 2026) defines the contract the lease title governs: “Lease is a synallagmatic contract by which one party, the lessor, binds himself to give to the other party, the lessee, the use and enjoyment of a thing for a term in exchange for a rent that the lessee binds himself to pay.” (Louisiana Civil Code art. 2668)

Two rules on this page name housing in their own words. The deposit rule of Revised Statutes 9:3251(A) reaches residential or dwelling premises, and under Article 2699 a waiver of warranty is ineffective in a residential or consumer lease to the extent it purports to waive the warranty for vices or defects that seriously affect health or safety.

Whether the unit is a house or an apartment, an owner or manager can post its repair or upkeep job on InstaBids and get written bids to compare.

Louisiana lease articles a property manager works to

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

• The date the lessee notified the lessor that the thing has been damaged or requires repair, since Article 2688 binds the lessee to notify the lessor without delay.
• The date of the lessee's demand, since Article 2694 lets the lessee cause the repairs to be made if the lessor fails to make necessary repairs within a reasonable time after demand by the lessee, with reimbursement or rent credit only to the extent the repair was necessary and the expended amount was reasonable.
• Whether the repair cannot be postponed until the end of the lease (Article 2693), where the lessor has the right to make that repair even if the lessee suffers inconvenience or loss of use of the thing.
• Any damage the lessee is bound to repair under Article 2692: damage to the thing caused by his fault or that of persons on the premises with his consent, set apart from the lessor's repairs.
• At the end of a lease of residential or dwelling premises: the date the tenancy terminates, the tenant's forwarding address, and, if any portion of the deposit is retained, the itemized statement the landlord or lessor shall forward within one month or within fifteen days after the date that is one month after the tenancy terminates (9:3251(A)).

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Calling contractors one by one, or one written scope?

Calling contractors one by one gets each one's own idea of the repair. With one written scope, 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.

How InstaBids works

Related answers on other pages

• Who pays for a repair, the landlord or the tenant, is answered on its own page. Who pays for repairs in a rental?
• How many quotes a landlord gets for a repair is answered on its own page. How many quotes for a repair?

Sources

• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2693, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2684, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Revised Statutes 9:3251, read 2026-10-29: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Revised Statutes 9:3252, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2688, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2692, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2682, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2691, read 2026-10-29: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2668, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2694, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2699, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov
• Louisiana Civil Code art. 2696, read 2026-10-30: legis.la.gov