Arkansas’s security-deposit law provides tenants with added protection. This law applies only to landlords who rent six or more dwellings. It contains the following provisions:
If you are required to pay a security deposit, you cannot be charged in excess of two months’ rent. For example, if your rent is $500 a month, a landlord cannot require a security deposit of more than $1,000.
When you move, the landlord must return your security deposit within 60 days. The landlord may, however, deduct from the security deposit the cost to repair any damages made to the dwelling or any past-due rent.
If the landlord deducts from your security deposit, the landlord must give you a written, itemized list of the charges withheld within 60 days of the time you vacate.
A landlord may withhold the entire amount of the security deposit if damages or unpaid rent exceed the amount of the security deposit.
Evictions:
Failure to pay rent or to pay rent on time, for any reason, is grounds for eviction. In Arkansas, a landlord may pursue a tenant in a civil action for an “unlawful detainer.”
Unlawful detainer actions require a landlord to provide you with a three days’ written notice to vacate. If you do not leave, the landlord can sue by filing a complaint against you in court. After you receive a summons to appear in court, you have five days to object in writing to the eviction. Any objection must be filed with the clerk of the court in which the eviction action was filed, and you should send a copy of your objection to the landlord’s lawyer. If you do not file an objection, you can be removed from the dwelling by the county sheriff. If you do object, a hearing will be scheduled to determine the outcome to your case.
Discrimination: