If something is broken, you certainly should ask to have it fixed. With some landlords, you have to ask many times and make a pest of yourself. Sad, but true.

So, for the stove--is there a light and broiler that are broken? Then ask for them to be fixed. Or does the stove simply not have a light or broiler? In that case, that is what you rented and you are stuck with it. Ovens being off temperature happens. If you know it is always 50 degrees hotter or cooler than it should be, just adjust the temperature you set it at. It still works, just not the way you want it to.

If the fridge works, the landlord may see no need to replace it. Can you clean the rust off yourself? Does the rust interfere with the refrigerator's performance? If it does, you can ask the landlord to remedy that.

Not sure what you mean by the ice trays. If they are rusty, you can easily buy new ones for a few dollars. Ice cube trays are not something I'd expect a landlord to provide. If you are saying that the fridge has ice trays and not an automatic ice maker--that is the fridge you rented with the apartment. I suppose you could ask the landlord for an upgraded fridge, but I doubt they would provide one. If an ice maker is important to you, then you need to check on that before you sign the lease.

I've never had a washer tear holes in anything. I think you'd have to prove this to the landlord--show them the rough edges inside the washer and ask for a repair/replacement.

The safety arm--since this is important, ask the landlord what he'd prefer. You can buy the arm, since you have already said you would do this, and either his maintenance people can install it, or you will pay for your own person to install it. Give a firm deadline by which you need an answer. It's always best to get this sort of thing in writing before you sign the lease.

Frankly, I can't tell from your post what's a real problem and what you just don't like. Non-functioning appliances are a problem. Appliances that just don't have features you want aren't a problem and you can't expect landlords to upgrade them just for you. You can certainly ask, but you have to be able to accept a "no" answer.

I looked at an apartment years ago, the old tenant and just moved out but they hadn't gotten it cleaned up. I noticed the racks in the refrigerator were all rusty and I asked the leasing agent if the racks was going to be replaced. She said no. I asked her if she had rusty shelving in her 'fridge. She gave me a curious look and I thanked her for her time and left.

Thank you both for your input. I'm wiser now Mike, and would do the same thing you did.

Although Camian sounds more like an apartment owner, I appreciate your thoughts.

Re oven: For example, If I want to cook a whole shad at 200 degrees, how do I reduce the temp 50 degrees when the lowest temp is 200?

Give me one good reason I should clean the rust from the fridg when the apartment was supposed to be clean when we walked in the door?

This is my second experience with a washer tearing holes. The first time it happened, the machine was replaced immediately. If one knows anything about textiles, there is a great difference between natural wear and a hole appearing in an unusual spot. HIn this apartment there has been no replacement.

As for the safety arm in the shower, I am receiving only silence from the manager here, just as he has not returned my calls on other matters.

I'm not an apartment owner. I've just lived in them for over 20 years.

Okay, the oven doesn't function for your needs. The landlord should fix or replace it. I'd expect them to try to fix it first.

The rust on the refrigerator--did you mention the rust specifically and the landlord or his/her representative told you it would be cleaned off? Then it should be cleaned. But if you didn't mention it, then you rented the unit knowing there was rust and it's up to you to remove it or not.

The washer? Somehow you have to prove it's the washer that is causing the damage. For all the landlord knows, you ripped the clothes elsewhere and are just saying that the washer did the damage. (Please note: I am not accusing you of lying. But the landlord might see it that way.) Take pictures, with a date stamp on them, of undamaged clothing. Then when something gets ripped in the washer, take another date-stamped picture of the damage. Bring the pictures and the ruined articles of clothing to the landlord's attention and ask for a repair or replacement of the machine.

You may have just gotten stuck with a bad landlord. It happens. What sometimes works in these situations is to just keep requesting the repairs, over and over and over. Finally, they get fed up with dealing with you and just fix the stuff. But it can take months.

If something doesn't work at all, then you might have a legal remedy. But an oven that heats a bit too hot is probably not grounds to take the landlord to court.