Arkansas Month-to-Month Lease Agreement

An Arkansas month-to-month rental agreement is a contract (not necessarily in writing) for a tenant to rent property from a landlord, one month at a time, in exchange for a fee (“rent”). The agreement renews monthly, until either party gives proper notice to end it.

Basics of an Arkansas Month-to-Month Rental Agreement

In Arkansas, a landlord and tenant create a month-to-month lease by agreeing to rent a property according to acceptable terms. Written agreements are clearer and more reliable in case of disagreement, but month-to-month oral (unwritten) leases are legal.

Parties under a month-to-month lease have full rights under Arkansas landlord-tenant law. The tenant must use the property in a responsible way and pay rent on time. The landlord must ensure the tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the property. This includes keeping critical features of the property in good working condition.

The main difference between a month-to-month lease and a fixed-term lease is that month-to-month leases can be terminated (with proper notice) by either party, for any reason, without penalty. Landlords also can usually modify terms from one month to the next, again with proper notice.

Required Disclosures for Month-to-Month Rentals in Arkansas

Arkansas landlords may not rent a property out without making the following disclosures to a potential tenant, as applicable:

• Lead-Based Paint – Landlords must provide an EPA-approved disclosure and informational pamphlet to tenants renting any property built before 1978.

Required Notice To End a Month-to-Month Rental in Arkansas

Arkansas lets both the landlord or tenant end a month-to-month lease with at least 30 days of advance notice. [1] In general, it’s valid to end a month-to-month lease for any reason that isn’t landlord retaliation.

Arkansas requires written notice for ending a month-to-month lease. In most cases notice must be either delivered by hand, or mailed by registered or certified mail to the other party’s address of record.

Required Notice To Raise the Rent on an Arkansas Month-to-Month Lease

Arkansas requires written notice for a rental increase, but there’s no particular timeframe given for that notice. This means in most cases it’s reasonable for a landlord to use the standard notice period for termination or other major lease changes. In Arkansas, this is 30 days. [1]

Eviction in Arkansas Month-to-Month Rentals

Arkansas tenants may get evicted if they violate lease terms or stay on the property after the notice period allowed by a valid termination. Evictions in Arkansas typically take six to eight weeks.

For more information on the eviction process in Arkansas, click here.