Heating and Cooling for Los Angeles Rental Properties, One Apartment at a Time
For landlords, property managers and HOAs
Most older Los Angeles apartment buildings were built without ducts. Dr. Ductless installs, repairs and maintains mini split heat pumps one apartment at a time, so each unit has its own heating and cooling and no tenant depends on a neighbor’s system.
We are a Mitsubishi Electric Elite Diamond Contractor, CSLB License #1019804, serving Southern California since 2001. A diagnostic visit is $189 per unit, credited toward the repair you approve. Call (213) 916-0005 or contact us online.
Key points for owners and managers
- One system per apartment. Each unit gets its own outdoor and indoor unit, so one failure does not take down the building.
- $189 diagnostic visit per unit, credited toward the repair you approve.
- Cleaning is $199 for the first indoor unit on a system and $59.99 for each additional one.
- Free consultation for new installations.
- Our technicians are factory trained on Mitsubishi Electric. For other brands, call with the make and model and the office will confirm before booking.
What Los Angeles landlords and property managers call us for
These are requests rental owners and managers brought to our office in August and September 2026.
- A triplex owner replacing a wall air conditioner in one unit with a mini split that covers two or three rooms
- A property manager booking a repair and cleaning for a tenant whose unit had stopped cooling
- A small hotel with two guest-room units leaking water
- A commercial building owner asking about yearly maintenance on rooftop package units and five Mitsubishi mini splits
- An office tenant who needed the landlord’s approval before adding a mini split
Why mini splits suit older Los Angeles apartment buildings
A mini split needs no ductwork, so it can be added to one apartment without opening ceilings in the others. Each indoor unit connects to its outdoor unit through a single hole of about 3 inches.
- Independent units. Every apartment has its own system and its own controls.
- Billing follows the tenant. When the system is fed from the apartment’s own electrical panel, the tenant pays for the heating and cooling they use.
- Heating and cooling from one system. A mini split is a heat pump, so it replaces both a window air conditioner and an old wall heater.
- Small electrical footprint. Single-room systems of 9,000 and 12,000 BTU are available in 115 volts and take one breaker space, which helps in apartments with small panels.
What the rules say about heating and cooling a rental
California law treats working heating as a basic requirement of a rental unit. Civil Code section 1941.1 lists heating facilities, kept in good working order, among the conditions a dwelling has to meet.
Cooling rules are being set locally. In August 2025 the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted a maximum indoor temperature of 82°F for rental units in unincorporated areas of the county. Enforcement begins in 2027, with a phase-in for small landlords that requires one habitable room to meet the standard by January 2027 and all habitable rooms by January 2032.
Check your own jurisdiction: the county ordinance covers unincorporated areas. Incorporated cities set their own rules, so confirm what applies to your building with your city or your attorney.
Repair and maintenance for occupied units
Service in a rental has two customers: the owner who approves the work and the tenant who has to be home. We schedule the visit, send text reminders before the appointment and on the day, and send the invoice by email.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic visit, per unit | $189, credited toward the repair you approve |
| Cleaning, first indoor unit on a system | $199 |
| Cleaning, each additional indoor unit | $59.99 |
| Yearly maintenance for a whole building | Quoted after we count the equipment |
| New installation | Quoted after a free consultation at the property |
Details are on our mini split repair and mini split cleaning pages.
Installing mini splits in a rental building
A single apartment is usually a single-zone or two-zone job. A whole building is the same job repeated, planned so that the outdoor units, line covers and drains look consistent from the street.
- Consultation at the property. We look at each unit type, the panels and where outdoor units can go.
- Sizing. Each room is sized by a load calculation.
- Exterior plan. We agree on outdoor unit locations and line cover routes before work starts. In a condo building this is what the HOA board approves.
- Permit and installation. In the City of Los Angeles, a mechanical permit is required to install or change a heating or cooling system.
See mini split installation in Los Angeles for the residential process, commercial HVAC services for offices and retail, and financing for larger projects.
Where we work
Dr. Ductless serves Los Angeles and the South Bay from two locations.
Lawndale / South Bay
15701 Condon Ave, Ste. B-5
Lawndale, CA 90260
Los Feliz / Central Los Angeles
3111 Los Feliz Blvd #211
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Phone: (213) 916-0005 · Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with landlords and property managers?
Yes. We install, repair and maintain mini splits in duplexes, triplexes, apartment buildings, condos and small commercial buildings, and we arrange access with the tenant.
Can each apartment have its own mini split on its own meter?
Yes. When each apartment’s system is fed from that apartment’s electrical panel, its heating and cooling are billed to that unit’s meter.
How much does it cost to diagnose a mini split in a rental unit?
A diagnostic visit is $189 per unit, and the fee is credited toward the repair you approve.
Do you service brands other than Mitsubishi?
Our technicians are factory trained on Mitsubishi Electric. For other brands, call with the make and model and the office will confirm before booking.
Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning in Los Angeles?
California law requires working heating in a rental unit. Cooling rules are being set locally. Los Angeles County adopted an 82°F maximum indoor temperature for rental units in unincorporated areas in August 2025, with enforcement beginning in 2027. Check with your own city for the rules that apply to your building.
Have a unit that needs attention this week?
Call with the address, the number of units and the make and model if you have it.
Call (213) 916-0005 Contact us onlineSources: California Civil Code section 1941.1 · Planetizen, LA County adopts maximum indoor temperature ordinance, August 2025 · Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, Mechanical HVAC permits
Tell Us About Your Property
Let us know how many units you have, what equipment is in them and what is wrong. For repairs, we book a diagnostic visit and arrange access with your tenant. For new installations, we start with a free consultation at the property.
The office is open Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call (213) 916-0005 or contact us online.
