An Alaska rental agreement is a legal contract between a landlord overseeing a rental property and a tenant using the property. Alaska landlord-tenant law governs and regulates these agreements.
Alaska Rental Agreement Types
An Alaska roommate agreement is a legal contract between two or more people (“co-tenants”) who share a rental property according to rules they set, including for things like splitting the rent. This agreement binds the co-tenants living together, and doesn’t include the landlord.
Alaska Required Residential Lease Disclosures
- Landlord’s Name and Address (required for all leases) – Alaska landlords must give the tenant their name and address, or that of their authorized agent. This allows required communication (for example, about repairs) to happen in a smooth way.
- Tenant Occupancy/Absence Disclosure (required for all leases) – Alaska leases must include a reminder that the tenant must give notice when going away for longer than seven days. This reminder must also state that rental property may only be occupied as a dwelling.
- Withholding Security Deposits (required for all leases) – Alaska landlords have the right to withhold some or all of a security deposit for specific lease violations. A lease must provide notice of this right to the tenant.
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (required for some leases) – Landlords must provide an EPA-approved disclosure and informational pamphlet to tenants renting any property built before 1978.
To learn more about required disclosures in Alaska, click here.
Alaska Landlord Tenant Laws
- Warranty of Habitability – Alaska landlords can only rent out habitable property. This means providing certain basic health and safety features like heat, plumbing, and electricity. Landlords must repair any issues within 10 days after proper notice from the tenant. Failure to repair lets a tenant sue the landlord or terminate the lease. Tenants usually aren’t allowed to repair and deduct, or withhold rent.
- Evictions – Alaska landlords may evict for rent nonpayment, lease violations, or illegal acts, among other things. Before filing eviction, landlords must serve tenants with prior notice to pay, comply or quit, depending on the eviction type. This means most evictions in Alaska take weeks to months.
- Security Deposits – Alaska caps security deposits at a maximum of two months’ rent (except for some property rented at over a $2,000 monthly rate). A landlord must return any unused portion of a tenant’s security deposit within either 14 days of the notice of lease termination, or 30 days without notice.
- Lease Termination – Alaska lets tenants terminate a month-to-month lease with 30 days of advance notice (14 days, for week-to-week leases). Terminating a fixed-term lease early requires (in most cases) active military duty, landlord harassment, uninhabitable property, or domestic abuse.
- Rent Increases and Fees – Alaska landlords must give at least 30 days of advance notice before increasing rent on a month-to-month lease. The state doesn’t cap late fees. Returned checks fees have a $30 cap.
- Landlord Entry – Alaska landlords may enter rental property for reasonable business purposes like maintenance, inspections, and property showings. Before entering, they must provide at least 24 hours of advance notice, except for emergencies.
- Settling Legal Disputes – Alaska lets small claims courts hear landlord-tenant disputes, as long as the amount in controversy is under $10,000. The state does not allow evictions in small claims. Most landlord-tenant issues fall under a three-year statute of limitations.
To learn more about landlord tenant laws in Alaska, click here.
Sources
- 1 Alaska Stat. § 09.68.115(a)
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In an action against a person who issues a check that is dishonored, the plaintiff may recover damages in an amount equal to $100 or triple the amount of the check, whichever is greater, except that damages recovered under this section may not exceed the amount of the check by more than $1,000 and may be awarded only if
(1) the plaintiff makes a written demand for payment of the check at least 15 days before commencing the action; and
(2) the defendant fails to tender, before the action commences, an amount equal to the amount of the check plus up to a maximum $30 fee.
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