North Carolina's Residential Rental Agreements Act places the core habitability maintenance burden on landlords — this includes keeping the property compliant with applicable building and housing codes, maintaining structural elements, and keeping essential systems like plumbing, heating, and electrical in working order throughout the tenancy. Major appliances provided as part of the rental (if any) also generally fall under landlord responsibility for repair or replacement when they fail through normal use. Tenants are generally responsible for routine upkeep of the space they occupy — basic cleanliness, not causing damage through negligence or misuse, replacing light bulbs and HVAC filters in most lease structures, and promptly reporting maintenance issues to the landlord rather than ignoring them or attempting unauthorized repairs themselves. A tenant's failure to promptly report a known issue that then worsens (a small leak becoming significant water damage, for example) can shift some responsibility for the resulting damage onto the tenant, depending on the specific circumstances and lease terms. The specific allocation of some maintenance responsibilities can be adjusted through the lease agreement itself, within the bounds of what North Carolina law allows landlords to shift onto tenants — lawns and yard maintenance, for example, are commonly assigned to tenants in single-family rental leases, while this wouldn't typically apply in a multi-unit building with shared grounds maintained by the landlord or an HOA. Clear communication and a well-drafted lease that specifies these responsibilities in detail, rather than relying on general assumptions, reduces disputes significantly. Landlords should also have a clear, easy process for tenants to report issues (a dedicated phone number, email, or portal), since a tenant who struggles to report a problem promptly may inadvertently create a situation where damage worsens before the landlord becomes aware and can address it.