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The Rights and Obligations of Landlords

The following text is part of Arizona State Law Regulations from Arizona Supreme Court web pages

I. General Matters
a) As a landlord, you can collect and receive rent in a timely manner.

b) You can establish rules and regulations which are reasonable, fair and explicit -- and which are applied uniformly to all tenants.

c) You must rent to families with children unless the rental dwelling is in a subdivision or area which is restricted to adults only (by formal deed restrictions) or which qualifies as housing for older persons, under the Fair Housing Act.

d) You cannot refuse to rent to someone because of his/her race, sex or disability.

e) You can withhold part or all of a security deposit if the tenant owes you rent or other reasonable charges. You must provide the tenant with written itemization of any damage costs.

f) All deposits you receive from renters are refundable unless otherwise stated in writing.

II. Rental Agreements and You
a) Rental agreements can usually be oral or written for rental periods of 12 months or less, but if your tenant is renting for longer than 12 months, the agreement must be in writing. You must give the tenant a signed copy of the agreement with all blank spaces filled in.

b) If you and the tenant do not formally establish how long the rental agreement will last, then it becomes a month-to-month agreement, and rent is due to you on the first day of each month.

c) If your tenant fails to pay the rent on time, you can collect all reasonable charges specified in the rental agreement.

d) You can raise the amount of the rent after the full-term of any rental agreement has expired. If the tenant is renting month-to-month, you can raise the rent only after providing one full month's advance notice to the tenant. Rent can also be raised during the term of a lease to add any increase in the transaction privilege tax or other increase specifically provided for in your rental agreement with the tenant.

III. Condition of the Premises
a) Your rental dwelling must be safe, clean and habitable. Any appliances provided by you must be in good working order.

b) You must supply running water and reasonable amounts of hot water to your tenant(s). You also must supply reasonable heating and cooling if heating and cooling units are installed in the dwelling and you offered them as part of the rental arrangement with the tenant. You must supply gas or electric utilities service.

c) You can enter the premises to inspect, make repairs, alterations, decorations or improvements at reasonable times, if you provide at least two days' advance notice to the tenant.

d) In case of emergency, you can enter the premises without the tenant's consent.

IV. Your Conduct
a) You must enforce the rules and regulations involving your rental property uniformly and fairly for all your tenants. New rules or regulations require 30-days notice to existing tenants.

b) You have the right to require your tenant(s), their families and guests to act in a way which does not disturb others.

c) You must be truthful concerning condition of premises, availability, future changes, etc.

V. Ending the Rental Relationship
a) When there is no dispute about rent being due:

If your tenants are renting month-to-month, you must give them at least 30 days notice -- in writing -- before the next rent payment would normally fall due.

You must allow tenants to be present during move-out inspection.

b) When tenants have fallen behind in their rent payments:

You must notify your tenants, in writing, that they have five calendar days in which to pay their past due rent, or your rental agreement with them will be terminated, and they will be evicted. You can give them the written notice any time the rent is past due.

You must either hand-deliver the five day notice to the tenants, or send it to them by certified or registered mail.

If you send the notice by certified or registered mail, it will be considered received on the date the tenant signs for it, or five days after you mailed it, whichever occurs first.

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