Source: https://www.avail.co/education/laws/arizona-landlord-tenant-laws
Timestamp: 2019-07-20 23:05:26
Document Index: 400045027

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 33', '§ 33', '§33', '§33', '§33', '§33', '§33']

Arizona Landlord-Tenant Laws | Avail
Arizona Laws in Brief
Is a written rental agreement required? Yes, for rental agreements 12 months or longer
Are there limits on late fees? Not for residential dwellings but yes for mobile homes
Are there payment grace period laws? Not for residential dwellings but yes for mobile homes
Arizona landlord-tenant laws are landlord friendly. There are an estimated 5.4 million residents in Arizona. Arizona has several big cities, including Phoenix and Tucson. Phoenix has an estimated population of 1,514,208 (19% of which is renter occupied), and Tucson has a population of 520,116 (51.2% of which is renter occupied).
This guide will outline the laws both landlords and tenants should know about in Arizona.
Security Deposit Laws in Arizona
Is a security deposit required under Arizona law?
The landlord is not required to collect a security deposit. If the landlord decides to charge a security deposit, he or she must comply with certain requirements, explained more fully below.
Any nonrefundable fee the landlord chooses to charge must be in writing in the rental agreement (this includes any prepaid rent or security deposit).
The deposit amount cannot exceed more than one and one-half month’s rent for a deposit and any prepaid rent combined.
Storage Requirements for Security Deposits in Arizona
There aren’t any laws addressing the storage of security deposits.
Can security deposits be commingled with other assets in Arizona?
Landlords are permitted to commingle the tenant’s security deposit with any of their personal assets. However, the results of our landlord survey reveal that most landlords decide not to commingle their personal assets with the tenant’s security deposit:
Do landlords have to pay interest on security deposits in Arizona?
When must a landlord return the deposit by in Arizona?
The landlord is required to return either part or all of the security deposit to the tenant 14 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays or other legal holidays) after termination of the lease.
If the landlords fails to lawfully return the balance of the security deposit, the tenant may recover the property and money due the tenant together, with damages, in an amount equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld.
Which situations allow a landlord to withhold a security deposit in Arizona?
Within 14 days after the tenant has vacated the premises, the landlord must notify the tenant of the deductions and balance after deductions. The landlord must include an itemized list of damages, with an explanation for each deduction and the amount being withheld.
Rental Agreement Laws in Arizona
Are rental agreements required in Arizona?
Rental agreements are required for tenancies in Arizona that are 12 months or longer. However, even for tenancies less than 12 months, we strongly encourage our landlords to create a written rental agreement with their tenants. It’s easy to create and sign a lease online. At Avail, we offer an online Arizona rental lease.
What are the general lease provisions in Arizona?
In Arizona, certain provisions must be included in the lease agreement. Most notably, both the landlord and tenant are required to include their names on the rental agreement.
See here for more information on how to create your lease agreement.
What are the rental agreement notice requirements in Arizona?
In Arizona, landlords are required to provide tenants 30 days notice if they are changing anything in the lease. There are also notice requirements when terminating a lease. The amount of notice required depends on the duration of the rental agreement.
Landlords cannot change the rent price during a fixed term lease. They can adjust the rent price at the time of renewal. Landlords must, however, give tenants at least 30 days’ notice (in writing) to increase rent or change another term of a month-to-month rental agreement.
Are there lease renewal provisions in Arizona?
Before the lease ends, the landlord can decide whether he or she wants to offer a lease renewal. Lease agreements automatically renew if either the landlord or the tenant fails to provide notice of their intent to terminate the lease. A landlord may refuse to renew a rental agreement, without good cause, by serving written notice to the tenant at least 90 days before the end of the rental agreement. In that event, the tenant must vacate the premises on or before the end of the rental agreement.
Rental Payment Laws in Arizona
What are the rules regarding rent payments in Arizona?
In Arizona, the landlord is free to charge any rent price agreed upon by the parties because there is no rent control or limit required by the state. Rent is due on the date indicated in the lease agreement. While there are no legal requirements for how rent is to be paid, the landlord may request the tenant pay one and one half of first month’s rent prior to move in.
The landlord is not required to provide the tenant with a receipt after rent has been received. There is no requirement for what the receipt should contain but we recommend basic information (name, address, payment, unit number, etc).
Are tenants allowed to withhold rent under the laws of Arizona? If so, for what purposes?
Is there rent control in Arizona?
Arizona prohibits any rules and regulations imposing rent control or rent regulation.
Late Fees and Grace Period Laws in Arizona
Is there a legal requirement for late fees in Arizona?
There is no legal requirement for late fees for residential dwellings, yet, most landlords decide to charge late fees. For mobile homes, a late fee may not be greater than five dollars per day. Mobile home laws will be discussed in greater detail later in this guide.
The lease may permit a late charge when rent is not paid by a certain date, but any fees that the landlord intends to charge should be clearly stated in the terms of the lease. There are no other laws in Arizona addressing late fees, thus we recommend charging a reasonable late fee.
Is there a legal grace period in Arizona?
There are laws addressing grace periods in Arizona for mobile homes but not for residential dwellings. For mobile homes, the landlord must wait five days after rent has become due to give the tenant a pay or quit notice; the tenant has five days to pay rent or move. If the tenant does neither, the landlord can commence eviction proceedings.
Arizona Laws on Repairs
Arizona tenants are legally entitled to a rental unit that meets basic structural, health, and safety standards. Residential leases carry an implied warranty of habitability. This means that the landlord has a duty to maintain the rental unit and keep it fit for residential purposes throughout the entire term of the lease and that the landlord must repair damage to vital facilities (including the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.) This warranty is implied in every written and oral lease.
Under the implied warranty of habitability law, the tenant’s obligation to pay rent and the landlord’s obligation to maintain habitable (safe, sanitary and fit) premises depend upon each other. If the landlord breaks his obligation to keep the premises in a habitable condition, the tenant may be relieved from his obligation to pay part or all of his rent until the landlord makes necessary repairs.
If the apartment needs vital repairs, tenants in Arizona are allowed to make repairs and deduct the cost from rent. First, the tenant must give the landlord 10 days written notice to repair the defect. If the landlord fails to repair the problem, and the reasonable cost of repair is less than three hundred dollars, or an amount equal to one-half of the monthly rent, whichever amount is greater, the tenant may fix the problem and deduct the amount of the repair from rent.
Arizona Laws on Landlord Responsibilities
The landlord must comply with all applicable building codes affecting health and safety
The landlord must keep all common areas of the premises in a clean and safe condition
The landlord must maintain, in good and working order, the following facilities and appliances:
The landlord must provide and maintain appropriate trash receptacles and conveniences for the removal of ashes, garbage, rubbish and other waste on the premises. The landlord must also arrange for the removal of the above mentioned items.
The landlord must supply running water and reasonable amounts of hot water at all times.
The landlord must supply reasonable heat and reasonable air conditioning or cooling where these units are installed and offered.
The landlord is not required to provide any of these appliances or services if they are not already maintained and installed within the unit.
The landlord and tenant of a single family residence may agree in writing that the tenant is responsible to perform the landlord’s duties set out above. The landlord and tenant may also agree that the tenant is responsible for any repairs, maintenance tasks, alterations and remodeling.
The landlord and tenant of any dwelling unit other than a single family residence may agree that the tenant is to undertake specified repairs, maintenance tasks, alterations or remodeling only if:
The agreement of the parties is entered into in good faith and documented in writing.
The agreement does not diminish or affect the obligation of the landlord to other tenant in the premises.
Also, the landlord may not prohibit the occupancy of children or or discriminate in anyway against a tenant who has children.
What are the Arizona laws on eviction?
In Arizona, eviction actions are called “special detainer” actions. Under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, landlords can evict tenants for a handful of reasons. The main bases for eviction are:
Before the landlord can terminate the rental agreement for any of these reasons, he or she must provide the appropriate notice. The following are legal causes for eviction with the corresponding notice (depending on the reason for eviction):
Non-payment of rent: If the landlord intends to evict a tenant for not paying rent, the landlord must give the tenant written notice specifying that the tenant has five days to pay the rent or eviction proceedings will begin.
It is important to note that while the landlord is not required to accept partial payment, if he or she chooses to in fact do so, the landlord gives up the right to terminate the rental agreement for the remainder of the month.
Failure to properly maintain the rental unit in a manner that materially affects health and safety: If the landlord wishes to evict the tenant for failure to maintain the rental unit, the landlord must give the tenant written notice describing the problem and specifying that the tenant has five days to fix it or eviction proceedings will commence.
Violation of the lease or rental agreement: If the landlord wishes to evict the tenant for violating the terms of the lease agreement, the landlord must give the tenant written notice describing the problem and specifying that the tenant has 10 days to fix it or eviction proceedings will begin.
Committing a crime or engaging in an illegal activity: In these situations, the landlord must provide the tenant with an unconditional quit notice, which informs the tenant that the landlord is terminating the lease agreement immediately. The landlord will usually provide the tenant with an unconditional quit notice where the tenant is engaging in an illegal activity or committing some form of a crime, including, but not limited to the following:
Discharges a weapon
Assault or acts that threaten others
Falsification of information: The landlord may evict the tenant if the tenant falsified a criminal record, previous eviction records or current criminal activity records. The landlord must provide the tenant with 10 days’ notice if the landlord plans to evict the tenant for falsification of information.
If the landlord does not have a legal cause to terminate the tenancy early, the landlord must wait until the expiration of the lease term to commence eviction proceedings:
Month-to-month tenancy: The landlord must inform the tenant that the tenancy will be ending in 30 days and that the tenant must move out of the rental unit by then. If the tenant does not move in 30 days, the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit against the tenant.
Fixed lease term: The landlord must wait until the lease term has expired before expecting the tenant to move out. The landlord does not need to provide the tenant with notice unless the lease specifically requires.
Notice: The landlord must provide the tenant with notice of the eviction proceedings, as previously discussed. The landlord should deliver notice with by hand or by registered and certified mail.
Complaint: The landlord files a complaint with the justice court (if the amount in dispute is $10,000 or less) or superior court in the county in which the rental unit is located.
Summons: Once the landlord has filed the complaint with the court, the tenant receives a copy of the complaint and a summons. The summons informs the tenant of the date on which the eviction hearing will take place. If the tenant wishes to fight the eviction, the tenant must be present in court for this hearing. Further, the tenant may request a brief postponement of the hearing if the tenant can show good cause.
Hearing: At the hearing, a judge will listen to the landlord as well as the tenant. The judge then will decide, on the basis of what the landlord and the tenant have said, whether or not the tenant will be evicted.
Eviction: If the judge issues an eviction order, the tenant must move out when the execution order arrives. If tenant does not move out, a sheriff may remove the tenant’s belongings and place them in storage. If the judge does not issue an eviction order, the tenant is legally entitled to possession of the premises.
Landlord evicts tenant with a “self help” eviction: It is unlawful for a landlord to attempt to evict a tenant in any other way besides a court order. Specifically, it is illegal for the landlord to change the locks on the rental unit or turn off utilities in order to force a tenant to move out.
Landlord does not follow proper eviction procedures: The landlord must evict the tenant pursuant to the proper procedures. These procedures are outlined above and in the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.
Landlord does not have a reason for evicting the tenant for non-payment of rent: If the landlord is evicting the tenant for not paying rent, the tenant might have a few justifications with which to fight the eviction:
Tenant has paid rent in full (the tenant has three options to pay rent and stop an eviction):
If the tenant pays rent in full during the five day time period, then the landlord must not continue with the eviction.
After the five day period but before the landlord files a complaint to bein the eviction process, tenant can stop the eviction if tenant pays the rent in full and any applicable late fees.
After the landlord files the eviction complaint but before the judge has given a final decision, the tenant can still stop the eviction by paying all the rent due, plus late fees and landlord’s court and attorneys fees.
Landlord did not make necessary repairs: If, after the tenant has provided the landlord written notice specifying the needed repairs, and the landlord fails to make such repairs, the tenant can hire a licensed contractor to make the repairs.
Landlord evicts a tenant in retaliation of tenant’s legal actions: It is illegal for the landlord to evict the tenant in retaliation for the tenant exercising any of the following legal actions:
The tenant has complained to a government agency about a building or health code violation
The tenant has complained to the landlord about repairs
The tenant has organized or joined a tenants’ union
The tenant has complained to the government agency in charge of enforcing the wage-price stabilization act
Landlord evicts the tenant based on discrimination: The Federal Fair Housing Act and Arizona Antidiscrimination law both prohibit landlords from discriminating against a tenant based on race, religion, gender, national origin, familial status (including children under the age of 18 and pregnant women), and disability.
If the tenant remains in possession without the landlord’s consent after expiration of the term of the rental agreement or its termination, the landlord may bring an action for possession. If the tenant’s holdover is willful and not in good faith, the landlord may recover an amount equal to, but not more than two months’ rent or twice the actual damages sustained by the landlord, whichever is greater.
Arizona Laws on Retaliation
Landlords are prohibited from harassing or retaliating against tenants who exercise their rights. In Arizona, the landlord cannot terminate a lease, refuse to renew a lease, or raise the rent on a tenant who has:
Filed an official complaint to a Government Authority about a building or health code violation
Been involved in a tenant’s organization or joined a tenants’ union
Complained to the government agency in charge of enforcing the wage-price stabilization act (which established standards to serve as a guide for determining levels of wages)
Retaliation will be assumed if landlord responds negatively within six months of the tenant’s action.
Arizona Laws on Domestic Violence, Sexual Misconduct, and Sexual Assault
The tenant is allowed to terminate a lease with proof of domestic violence status. The offender in a domestic violence situation may be liable to the landlord for all losses incurred due to early lease termination.
The tenant can also request the landlord to change the locks. The tenant may also change the locks on their own, at their expense.
Arizona Laws on Changing the Locks and Security Devices
Arizona Pet Laws
Arizona does not have any specific pet laws. Landlords are allowed to create their own requirements for pets, most notably, they can decide if pets are allowed, what size is allowed, etc. Read our guide to allowing pets in your rental.
Under Arizona law and the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities may bring their service animals to all public accommodations, such as government buildings, hotels, restaurants, stadiums, and stores. These laws also require those who operate transportation services to allow service animals.
Landlords may choose to charge a pet deposit. If so, the total deposit must not be greater than one and one half months’ rent.
Do Arizona Landlords Need a Rental License?
Landlord rental licenses are not required by Arizona law. However, the owner of residential rental property is required to register the property with the assessor in the county where the property is located.
Notice of Entry Laws in Arizona
Do landlords in Arizona have to provide notice of entry?
There are certain notice of entry laws in Arizona. The landlord must provide two days’ notice if they wish to enter the premises for the following reasons:
If premises appear to be abandoned
The landlord does not need to provide any notice if he or she wishes to enter the premises for the following reasons:
During the tenant’s extended absence
Entry laws for move-out inspections
Arizona has specific laws when it comes to move-out inspections. Upon the tenant’s request, the landlord must perform a joint move-out inspection. If the tenant is being evicted for a material breach and the landlord has reasonable cause to fear violence or intimidation on the part of the tenant, the landlord has no obligation to conduct a joint move-out inspection with the tenant. The landlord must provide a written notification to the tenant that the tenant may be present at the move-out inspection.
Sublease and Assignment Provisions in Arizona
Unless the lease prohibits subletting, a landlord may not unreasonably withhold permission to sublet. Subleases are completely governed by the terms of the lease. If the landlord wants to retain control of the tenant’s ability to sublease, it should state that in the lease.
A typical sublease provision in the State of Arizona, reads as follows:
Abandonment of Property Provisions in Arizona
Note: When Arizona law mentions abandoned property, it is in reference to the tenant’s belongings. In the section below, the word property refers to the tenant’s belongings and the word premises will describe the actual rental property.
In Arizona, there are specific procedures on how to handle abandoned property.
If the tenant leaves property behind, the landlord must follow certain procedures. The guidelines that the landlord must follow depend on how the tenancy terminated:
If the tenant vacates the premises at the end of the lease after receiving notice from the landlord, the landlord may do whatever he or she desires with the property left behind. If the landlord incurs costs associated with removing the property, the landlord may withhold that amount from the tenant’s security deposit.
If the landlord has evicted the tenant and law enforcement has legally locked them out, the landlord must give the tenant notice and then hold the property for 21 days. If the tenant does not contact the landlord in that time period, the landlord may sell or dispose of the property.
If the tenant disappears and the rental unit appears abandoned, the landlord may not dispose of the property left behind unless the landlord gives the tenant 10 days notice.
When the landlord intends to dispose of the abandoned property, he or she must comply with certain notice requirements:
The landlord must send the tenant notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the tenant’s last known address and any alternate addresses known.
The notice must provide the location of the rental property and tell the tenant that he or she has 10 days to claim it.
The tenant has five days to reclaim their belongings if they contact the landlord before the landlord has disposed of the property. The tenant must reimburse the landlord for any costs the landlord has incurred in moving or storing the belongings.
The landlord may store the tenant’s abandoned property in the following places:
Former tenant’s rental unit
Any other available unit the landlord owns
Landlord’s storage space
The landlord must use reasonable care when holding the tenant’s property. The landlord, however, is not liable for damage to the property unless the landlord damages it on purpose or handles it negligently.
The landlord may be reimbursed for storing the tenant’s abandoned property:
If the tenant doesn’t show up after the 10-day waiting period, the landlord may sell the abandoned property to cover the costs of anything the tenant owes (including the costs of storing and selling their belongings).
If the tenant attempts to reclaim their belongings, the landlord is not required to give the tenant their belongings. Only once the tenant has paid the landlord for the costs of moving and storing their belongings may the landlord relinquish the tenant’s belongings. However, the tenant may take back, at any time, the following items:
Any tools, equipment, or books of a trade or profession
Identification or financial documents, including those related to immigration status, employment status, public assistance or medical care
However, if the proceeds from selling the abandoned property exceed what the tenant owes the landlord, the landlord must return the excess proceeds to the tenant. Specifically, Arizona law requires the landlord to mail any excess proceeds to the tenant. The landlord must keep the proceeds for the tenant for at least 12 months.
Required Arizona Rental Agreement Disclosures
Disclosure of Landlord and Tenant Act: At or before the commencement of the tenancy, the landlord shall inform the tenant in writing that the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is available on the Arizona department of housing’s website.
Bedbug Disclosure: The landlord must provide bedbug educational materials to existing and new tenants. The landlord shall not enter into any lease agreement with a tenant for a dwelling unit that the landlord knows to have a current bedbug infestation.
Move-In Documents: The landlord must provide the tenant with a copy of a signed lease, a move-in form for specifying any existing damages to the dwelling unit and written notification to the tenant that the tenant may be present at the move-out inspection.
Arizona Mobile Homes Landlord and Tenant Act
Arizona Consumer Guide to Renters Insurance
Oft-Cited Arizona Landlord-Tenant Law
Arizona Landlord-Tenant Law is governed by the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, which compiles relevant statutes from the Arizona legislature on landlord-tenant law. The relevant statutes are:
Recovery of Possession– Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 33-1301 to 33-1381.
Landlord and Tenant– Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 33-301 to 33-381.
ARS §33-1314.01. Utility charges; submetering; ratio utility billing; allocation; water system exemption.
The landlord may charge separately for gas, water, wastewater, or electricity by installing a submetering system or by allocating the charges separately through a ratio billing system.
ARS §33-1317. Discrimination by landlord or lessor against tenant with children prohibited; classification; exceptions; civil remedy; applicability.
The landlord may not knowingly refuse to rent to a prospective tenant, solely for that reason that the tenant has a child or children.
ARS §33-1318. Early termination by tenant for domestic violence; conditions; lock replacement; access refusal; treble damages; immunity
The tenant may terminate a rental agreement if the tenant provides to the landlord written notice pursuant that the tenant is the victim of domestic violence.
The tenant’s rights and obligations under the rental agreement are terminated and the tenant shall vacate the dwelling and avoid liability for future rent. The tenant shall not incur early termination penalties or fees if the tenant provides to the landlord a written notice requesting release from the rental agreement with a mutually agreed on release date within the next thirty days, accompanied by any one of the following documents:
A copy of any protective order issued to the tenant who is a victim of domestic violence
A copy of a written departmental report from a law enforcement agency that states that the tenant notified the law enforcement agency that the tenant was a victim of domestic violence
A tenant who is a victim of domestic violence may require the landlord to install a new lock to the tenant’s dwelling if the tenant pays for the cost of installing the new lock. A landlord may comply with this requirement by doing either of the following:
Rekeying the lock if the lock is in good working condition
Replacing the entire lock with an equal or better quality lock replaced
A landlord who installs a new lock at the tenant’s request may retain a copy of the key that opens the new lock
ARS §33-1319. Bedbug control; landlord and tenant obligations; definitions.
The landlord must provide bedbug educational materials to existing and new tenants. The educational materials may include:
A description of measures that may be taken to prevent and control bedbugs
Information about bedbugs, including a description of their appearance
A description of behaviors that are risk factors for attracting bedbugs such as purchasing renovated mattresses, using discarded mattresses and furniture, using used or leased furniture, purchasing pre-owned clothing and traveling without proper precautions
Information provided by the United States centers for disease control and prevention and other federal, state or local health agencies
Information provided by federal, state or local housing agencies
Information provided by nonprofit housing organizations
Information developed by the landlord
The landlord cannot enter into any lease agreement that the landlord knows to have bedbugs
The tenant has the following obligations with respect to a bedbug infestation:
The tenant shall not knowingly move materials into a dwelling unit that are infested with bedbugs
The tenant who knows of the presence of bedbugs shall provide the landlord written or electronic notification of the presence of bedbugs
ARS §33-1321- Security Deposits
If the landlord decides to charge a security deposit or pet deposit, the total value must not be greater than the value of one a half month’s rent.
The landlord must return the balance of the deposit to the tenant 14 days after termination of the lease.
Phoenix Landlord-Tenant Law
Landlord-tenant law in Phoenix is the same as Arizona state law.
Tucson Landlord-Tenant Law
Landlord-Tenant law in Tucson is the same as Arizona state law.