ULTIMATELY because its the landlord who owns the unit the tenant merely borrows it for $$$
The comment above is sad. The poster doesnt get it. Sure you dont install solid gold faucets in a rental but no one payng good money will tolerate temps over 80 degrees..
if you have a otherwise good tenant who pays their rent on time and doesnt destroy the place, then your blessed and take care of them.
being a landlord doesnt mean you should ring evewry last cent out of the tenant and give junky service..........
you must spend money to make money.
think of this, when a vacancy occurs you really must repaint the home and fix all the little stuff thats broke, clean or replace carpet etc.
The cost for all the renovations, plus advertising, time lost showing unit etc might easily be more than replacing the AC....
The poster above I quoted has no idea of any of this... to him being a landlord is all about the fast buck.
yeah I have been both a tenant and a landlord, rented a home to a nice family for maybe 7 years, the mom died still friends with the family. I took care of the house they took care of me:)