Never heard of that! But check your lease carefully... you might have signed on for it.

thats not the norm in most cases. read ur lease. if it says they are included with the unit and there is no mention anywhere in the lease about who is responsible for repairs on the appliances he should be doing it. don't just look under where your lease states whats included look under the maintance or repairs section if there is one, if the items were left by a previous tenant and the landlord left there for you to use for as long as they continue to work you are one the hook for the repair if you want to use them. that is a situation I have heard of before.

Check your state law, too. My state says if I provide the appliances, I have to maintain them. But if it's a case like mike mentioned, where they were items left by a prior tenant and I make it clear (in the lease) that it's new tenants option to use or not, that they are not being provided by me, then I'm not responsible for maintenance.

You can find your state's law by googling, for example, "Texas Landlord Tenant Law". (Just replace your state for Texas ;)

some states like Maryland where my cousin works in real estate require the landlord to provide a stove for the fuel source that is there be it gas or electric and it has to be working when and if the rental is inspected. Maryland doesn't require the landlord provide anything else in the kitchen as I'm told, I thought it was odd that a fridge was not required. who would rent a place with out one. most renters don't own many appliances.