RR
Rent Regulations

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-51

Tenant to maintain dwelling unit.

In Force
Verified 10/23/2026 · Next check 10/30/2026
effective 10/23/2026HawaiiLease Requirements

Operative Text

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-51
Each tenant shall at all times during the tenancy:
(1) Comply with all applicable building and housing laws materially affecting health and safety;
(2) Keep that part of the premises which the tenant occupies and uses as clean and safe as the conditions of the premises permit;
(3) Dispose from the tenant's dwelling unit all rubbish, garbage, and other organic or flammable waste in a clean and safe manner;
(4) Keep all plumbing fixtures in the dwelling unit or used by the tenant as clean as their condition permits;
(5) Properly use and operate all electrical and plumbing fixtures and appliances in the dwelling unit or used by the tenant;
(6) Not permit any person on the premises with the tenant's permission to wilfully destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove any part of the premises which include the dwelling unit or the facilities, equipment, or appurtenances thereto, nor oneself do any such thing;
(7) Keep the dwelling unit and all facilities, appliances, furniture, and furnishings supplied therein by the landlord in fit condition, reasonable wear and tear excepted; and
(8) Comply with all obligations, restrictions, rules, and the like which are in accordance with section 521-52 and which the landlord can demonstrate are reasonably necessary for the preservation of the property and protection of the persons of the landlord, other tenants, or any other person. [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1; gen ch 1985; am L 1989, c 143, §2]
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-51 establishes a set of ongoing maintenance and conduct obligations that apply to tenants throughout the duration of a tenancy. The provision covers a broad range of responsibilities, including compliance with health and safety laws, cleanliness of the unit and plumbing fixtures, proper use of electrical and plumbing systems, safe waste disposal, and prevention of damage to the property by the tenant or anyone the tenant permits on the premises. Reasonable wear and tear is explicitly carved out from the tenant's duty to keep landlord-supplied furnishings and facilities in fit condition. Tenants are also required to follow landlord rules that comply with § 521-52 and are reasonably necessary to protect the property and other occupants.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 23, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 521-51, tenants carry affirmative duties to maintain cleanliness, prevent damage, and follow applicable health and safety laws throughout the tenancy, which can support a landlord's position when documenting lease violations or seeking remedies for property damage. Compliant operators typically keep clear records of the unit's condition at move-in and move-out, document any reported damage or sanitation issues promptly, and ensure that any house rules they enforce are consistent with § 521-52 and demonstrably tied to property preservation or occupant safety. Landlords generally distinguish between tenant-caused damage and ordinary wear and tear when assessing responsibility for repairs or deductions.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section § 521-51 of Hawaii's Residential Landlord-Tenant Code outlines the maintenance responsibilities tenants are expected to meet, but it also contains important limits — notably, landlords cannot hold tenants responsible for deterioration that qualifies as reasonable wear and tear. Tenants who believe a landlord is improperly attributing normal wear and tear to them, or who face disputes about alleged damage or rule violations, may find it useful to document the unit's condition with photos and written records throughout the tenancy. Tenant-rights organizations in Hawaii and the state's district courts can provide information about how § 521-51 obligations interact with a tenant's rights and available remedies.

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 23, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 23, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-62
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-43
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-72
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-63
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-80
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-80
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44

Related Rules

§ 244.280
Tenant to be given copy of lease
§ 151.35
SEVERABILITY
§ 165.12
SEVERABILITY

Source Information

Source:https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol12_Ch0501-0588/HRS0521/HRS_0521-0051.htm
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