var status = $(this).prop("checked");
var room_id = id;
$.post('maintenanceControl.php', {action: status, id: room_id});

<?php

if (isset($_POST['action']) && !empty($_POST['action']) && isset($_POST['id']) && !empty($_POST['id'])) {
    $action = $_POST['action'];
    $id = $_POST['id'];
    if ($action) {
        return manageMaintenance($id, true);
    } else {
        return manageMaintenance($id, false);
    }
}

function manageMaintenance($room_id, $status)
{
    $jsonString = file_get_contents('status.json');
    $data = json_decode($jsonString, true);

    foreach ($data['rooms'] as $key => $entry) {
        if ($key == $room_id) {
            $data[$key]['maintenance'] = $status;
        }
    }

    $newJsonString = json_encode($data);
    file_put_contents('status.json', $newJsonString);

    return true;
}

$.post( "test.php", function( data ) {
    alert(data);
});

<?php
echo "test";