An Arkansas rental lease agreement is a property management document used for establishing a legally-binding relationship between a landlord and a tenant. The agreement specifies the amount and due date for rent, the maximum number of guests, the start and end dates of the lease, and much more. It is highly recommended that both parties keep a copy of the completed and signed lease so that it may be easily referred to in the case of a dispute or to clarify the terms of the lease.
An Arkansas Lease Agreement is a legal contract that sets out conditions for one (1) or more tenants to rent out a dwelling for a set amount of money that is paid each month to the landlord. It is in the best interests of the landlord to ask tenants to fill out a rental application prior to the signing of a lease agreement, so that they may verify their reliability.
Rent is due on the date specified in the lease agreement (§ 18-17-401(a)). There is a grace period of five (5) days (§ 18-17-701(b)). Late fee stipulations are not covered by Arkansas state law, meaning that landlords are not allowed to issue them to a tenant unless late fee conditions are stated in the contract.
Emergency: Although there is no specific state statute regarding landlord’s access during emergency situations, landlords have the right under federal law to enter a residence in the case of an emergency.
Non-Emergency (§ 18-17-602(a)): A tenant should not “unreasonably withhold consent” to allow the landlord to enter for a range of circumstances including inspecting the premises, making necessary or agreed repairs, and investigating possible rule or lease violations.
According to Subchapter 6 – “Tenant Obligations”, tenant’s are required to comply with the following obligations:
Lead Disclosure: Landlords are required to disclose known lead paint hazards to tenants, in addition to providing an information pamphlet issued by the Government on lead-based paint hazards as an attachment to their written lease.
Maximum Amount (Section 18-16-304): Landlord cannot charge more than two (2) months’ rent to the tenant.
Returning to Tenant (Section 18-16-305): Property or money must be returned to the tenant within sixty (60) days of termination of the tenancy. The money will become the landlord’s property in the case that they cannot find or get in contact with the tenant for up to one-hundred and eighty (180) days after the termination date.
Deposit Interest: No relevant statute.