Louisiana Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
Louisiana rules on mold, pests, heat & ac for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: No statute — Louisiana has no mold disclosure or remediation law. The Civil Code's general lessor duties apply. La. C.C. arts. 2682(2), 2691, 2696, 2697, 2694
The rules in Louisiana
| Mold | No statute — Louisiana has no mold disclosure or remediation law. The Civil Code's general lessor duties apply. The lessor must maintain the property in a condition suitable for its leased purpose, make all necessary repairs during the lease (except those the lessee is responsible for), and warrant that it is free of vices or defects that prevent its use, including defects that arise later and defects unknown to the lessor. If the lessor fails to repair within a reasonable time after demand, the lessee may repair and deduct reasonable costs. Art. 2682: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=109743. Art. 2691: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=109753. A lessee who knows of a defect and fails to notify the lessor may have recovery reduced (art. 2697). Some cities have local rental housing codes (e.g., New Orleans' Healthy Homes ordinance) that may address moisture or mold. |
|---|---|
| Pests & bed bugs | No statute — no state law specifically assigns pest or bed bug treatment or requires disclosure. Infestations are handled under the lessor's general duties to maintain the property in suitable condition, make necessary repairs, and warrant against vices and defects. The lessee must repair damage caused by their own fault or that of people on the premises with their consent. Who pays for treatment often depends on whether the infestation is a 'vice or defect' or was caused by the lessee. The lease and local codes may allocate this. |
| Heat | No statute — Louisiana law sets no minimum indoor temperature or heating season. If heating is part of the leased premises, the lessor's general duty to maintain the property in a condition suitable for its leased purpose and to make necessary repairs applies. Local housing codes may set heating standards. |
| Air conditioning | No statute — Louisiana does not require landlords to provide air conditioning or set a maximum indoor temperature. If AC is provided as part of the lease, the general maintenance and repair duty applies. Whether a broken air conditioner makes the property unsuitable for its leased purpose is decided case by case. Source: La. C.C. arts. 2682, 2691 |
| Smoke and CO detectors | Every existing one- or two-family dwelling, at the time it is sold or leased, must have at least an operable ten-year sealed lithium battery smoke detector and an operable carbon monoxide detector with a long-life sealed battery (the CO detector may be combined with smoke detection). Failure to comply is not a reason to deny an insurance claim and does not delay a property transfer. The section covers one- and two-family dwellings and does not say who must test or replace detectors during the tenancy. Source: La. R.S. 40:1581 |
Related questions
- Does a landlord have to fix mold?
- Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in a rental?
- Does a landlord have to provide heat?
- Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning?
Louisiana vs. neighboring states
| State | Mold | Pests & bed bugs | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | No statute — Louisiana has no mold disclosure or remediation law. The Civil Code's general lessor duties apply. The lessor must maintain the property in a condition suitable for its leased purpose, make all necessary repairs during the lease (except those the lessee is responsible for), and warrant that it is free of vices or defects that prevent its use, including defects that arise later and defects unknown to the lessor. If the lessor fails to repair within a reasonable time after demand, the lessee may repair and deduct reasonable costs. La. C.C. arts. 2682(2), 2691, 2696, 2697, 2694 | No statute — no state law specifically assigns pest or bed bug treatment or requires disclosure. Infestations are handled under the lessor's general duties to maintain the property in suitable condition, make necessary repairs, and warrant against vices and defects. The lessee must repair damage caused by their own fault or that of people on the premises with their consent. La. C.C. arts. 2682, 2691, 2692, 2696 | No statute — Louisiana law sets no minimum indoor temperature or heating season. If heating is part of the leased premises, the lessor's general duty to maintain the property in a condition suitable for its leased purpose and to make necessary repairs applies. La. C.C. arts. 2682, 2691 (Civil Code lease-obligation articles 2682-2698 checked) |
| Arkansas | No statute — Arkansas has no mold disclosure or remediation law for rentals. Arkansas's implied residential quality standards (for leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021) require only running hot and cold water, electricity, potable water, code-compliant sewer and plumbing, a functioning roof and building envelope, and working heat and air conditioning if it served the unit when the lease was signed. Mold is not listed. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502 (added by Act 1052 of 2021) | No statute on pests or bed bugs. They are not among Arkansas's implied quality standards, so the lease and local codes govern who treats them. The tenant must keep the unit reasonably clean and safe and dispose of garbage in a reasonably clean and safe manner. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-17-502, 18-17-601(2)-(3) | A functioning heating system is required only to the extent heating served the premises when the lease was signed (leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021). State law sets no minimum temperature. If heat fails, the tenant must give written notice; if the landlord does not fix it within 30 days and rent is current, the tenant may end the lease without penalty and get the deposit back. The tenant may not withhold rent. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(a)(6), (d) |
| Mississippi | No statute — Mississippi has no mold disclosure or remediation law. The landlord's general statutory duty applies: comply with building and housing codes that materially affect health and safety, and maintain the unit and its plumbing, heating and cooling systems in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded. There is no duty for defects caused by the tenant's deliberate or negligent acts. Tenants must tell the landlord about conditions that may cause damage. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23; § 89-8-25(g) | No statute — no state law assigns pest or bed bug treatment or requires disclosure. Pests are governed by the general duty to comply with health and safety housing codes and maintain the premises, and by the lease. Tenants must keep their part of the premises clean and safe and dispose of garbage properly. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1); § 89-8-25(a)-(b) | No minimum temperature or heating season is set by state law. A landlord must maintain the heating system in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded, unless the tenant's deliberate or negligent actions damaged it, and must comply with applicable housing codes. The lease decides whether a heating system is provided at all. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1)(b) |
| Texas | No landlord-tenant mold statute — Texas law sets no mold disclosure or mold-specific remediation duty for residential landlords. Mold is handled under the general duty to repair: after written notice from a tenant who is current on rent, the landlord must make a diligent effort to repair a condition that materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant. Separately, the Occupations Code licenses professional mold assessors and remediators; an owner of residential property with fewer than 10 units (or its employee) may do its own mold assessment or remediation without a license. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.052; Tex. Occ. Code ch. 1958 (Sec. 1958.102) | No statute — the Property Code has no pest or bed-bug provision (no disclosure, inspection or treatment rule). An infestation is treated under the general repair duty if it materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant and the tenant gave notice; the landlord has no duty to remedy conditions caused by the tenant, household or guests. Leases commonly allocate pest-control responsibility. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.052 (ch. 92 checked) | No statewide heat or minimum-temperature requirement. State law requires only a device supplying hot water of at least 120 degrees F. If the landlord agreed (expressly or impliedly) to furnish heating equipment that produces inadequate heat, and a local housing, building or health official has notified the landlord in writing that the lack of heat materially affects health or safety, the tenant may use the repair-and-deduct remedy if the landlord fails to repair within 3 days after the tenant's notice. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.052(a)(3)(B); 92.0561(d)(3)(C) |
City rules that may add to state law
More Louisiana rental law
- Louisiana Security Deposit Law
- Louisiana Eviction Laws
- Louisiana Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Louisiana
- Louisiana Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Louisiana Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Louisiana
- Squatters' Rights in Louisiana
- Louisiana Rental Fee Rules
- Louisiana Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Louisiana Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Louisiana Landlord Selling the House
- Louisiana Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Louisiana Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Louisiana landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Louisiana
Compare mold, pests, heat & ac in all 50 states and DC →
Louisiana Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules FAQ
Does a landlord have to fix mold in Louisiana?
No statute — Louisiana has no mold disclosure or remediation law. The Civil Code's general lessor duties apply. The lessor must maintain the property in a condition suitable for its leased purpose, make all necessary repairs during the lease (except those the lessee is responsible for), and warrant that it is free of vices or defects that prevent its use, including defects that arise later and defects unknown to the lessor. If the lessor fails to repair within a reasonable time after demand, the lessee may repair and deduct reasonable costs. (La. C.C. arts. 2682(2), 2691, 2696, 2697, 2694)
Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in Louisiana?
No statute — no state law specifically assigns pest or bed bug treatment or requires disclosure. Infestations are handled under the lessor's general duties to maintain the property in suitable condition, make necessary repairs, and warrant against vices and defects. The lessee must repair damage caused by their own fault or that of people on the premises with their consent. (La. C.C. arts. 2682, 2691, 2692, 2696)
Does a landlord have to provide heat in Louisiana?
No statute — Louisiana law sets no minimum indoor temperature or heating season. If heating is part of the leased premises, the lessor's general duty to maintain the property in a condition suitable for its leased purpose and to make necessary repairs applies. (La. C.C. arts. 2682, 2691 (Civil Code lease-obligation articles 2682-2698 checked))
Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning in Louisiana?
No statute — Louisiana does not require landlords to provide air conditioning or set a maximum indoor temperature. If AC is provided as part of the lease, the general maintenance and repair duty applies. (La. C.C. arts. 2682, 2691)
Who is responsible for smoke detectors in a rental in Louisiana?
Every existing one- or two-family dwelling, at the time it is sold or leased, must have at least an operable ten-year sealed lithium battery smoke detector and an operable carbon monoxide detector with a long-life sealed battery (the CO detector may be combined with smoke detection). Failure to comply is not a reason to deny an insurance claim and does not delay a property transfer. (La. R.S. 40:1581)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.