Laws on Leases & Tenant Rights in Arkansas

Arkansas has laws on leases and tenant rights.apartment for rent image by dead_account from Fotolia.com

Arkansas law establishes the parameters that must be followed for lease agreements created in the state. Additionally, Arkansas statutes delineate the specific rights tenants possess relative to lease agreements. Each individual tenant right established by Arkansas law includes a companion obligation on the part of the landlord.

Eviction

Arkansas landlord and tenant laws establish specific rights for a tenant facing eviction. The fundamental right associated with this aspect of Arkansas law is that of proper notice to a tenant. Under the provisions of Arkansas law, a tenant is entitled to a three-day notice to cure or correct any alleged lease violation before a landlord can take further legal action. For example, the tenant has three days to pay past due rent or vacate the property before the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit.

Pursuant to Arkansas landlord and tenant law, a landlord is prohibited from requiring a security deposit from a tenant that exceeds the equivalent of two month's rent. At the end of the lease term, a tenant has the right to a return of the security deposit within 30 days. If the landlord intends to withhold any portion of the security deposit as compensation for damages to the premises or to cover any unpaid rent, she must provide the tenant written notice of this decision and a specific itemization within that same 30-day time frame. A landlord must return any balance left on the security deposit to the tenant during that 30-day period as well.