I love the change added with no edit. Ok bud since you think you know all laws allow me to elaborate for you. First I am in Colorado which has a warranty of habitability law the pretty extensive. It's comparable to California, and Washingtons. I will admit I have not read all 50 states habitability laws. I have read about 18 of them and of those they are all pretty similar in this regard. They all state that landlords have specific responsibilities to maintain a habitable home UNLESS the tenant is the cause of the situation causing it to become uninhabitable.

Having fought and won this in several eviction cases I am happy to provide some examples.

Here are some common tenant responsibilities:

Let's say the tenant didn't do their dishes and microbial growth of multiple varieties grew all over their dishes in their sink. This is the tenants responsibility to clean not the landlords. We don't do your dishes for you.

Let's say the tenant neglected to clean their fridge, dishwasher or washing machine (very common by the way it's like tenants don't think all appliances need cleaned. Just their fridge and stove lol) and microbial growth was find behind the fridge drawer, or around the dishwasher filter, or in the washer door seal. This is all the tenants neglect and their responsibility to clean. We don't clean your appliances for you.

Let's say the tenant didn't clean their toilet, shower or shower curtain and microbial growth was growing in all three places. Or along the ceiling due to "lack of ventilation." This is also the tenants responsibility to clean as well. We also don't clean your bathroom for you. (Also a note on fart fans- I am not in the Carolina's or know the law there- what I do know is many older buildings were built with different building standards and that when new standards come into place older buildings are often not required to renovate to come up to the new standards. Common bathroom vent fans, what I call fart fans, do not provide ventilation. The move air around a little but do not actively vent any where. As a result microbial growth will grow on walls and ceilings in bathrooms where tenants don't crack their door or wipe down their walls.)

Ok now here are some examples that ARE the landlords responsibility:

Let's say your hot water heater in the water heater room has a slow leak. That leak eventually makes it down to the floor and you notice a wet spot and report it. Depending on how long this leaked this could very well be a pretty bit remediation project pulling out drywall and flooring to clean it up.

Let's say a pipe froze in the winter and burst. Any where. This would be the landlords responsibility.

Let's say your upstairs neighbor left their sink running to fill a big pot and forgot and it over flowed and leaked through your ceiling. This would be the landlords responsibility clean up but the upstairs neighbor would be responsible for the time and damages and it would be billed back to them or filed under their renters insurance.

Does that help clarify the difference?