An Alaska standard residential lease agreement is a legal document that outlines the terms and conditions of a lease for a fixed term of typically one year. It covers property details, lease duration, financial arrangements, maintenance obligations, pet policies, termination clauses, and necessary legal disclosures.
The agreement also addresses utilities, establishing which are the tenant’s responsibility and which are covered by the landlord, thus ensuring transparency and preventing misunderstandings.
Lease Length Considerations
- The typical lease duration is 12 months. Nonetheless, the lease can be for a longer or shorter period, provided that the specific term is explicitly outlined in the lease agreement. [1]
- If the rental agreement does not establish a specific duration, the tenancy will be week-to-week for tenants paying weekly rent and month-to-month for all other cases. [2]
- Oral leases typically cannot extend beyond one year in duration.
Required Disclosures
- Disclosure of lead-based hazards.
- Identification of the property owner and the person authorized to manage the premises.
- Landlord’s option to withhold security deposits for specific reasons.
- Notice to the landlord for tenant absence from the leased unit for over seven days.
Our Alaska lease agreement page offers more information on the required disclosures.
Security Deposit
- Maximum Amount ($): Two months’ rent. [3]
- Returning to Tenant: Within 14 days.
Rent Payment
- Grace Period: There is no rent grace period in Alaska. Rent is due as mentioned in the lease.
- Maximum Late Fee: No maximum limit, but subject to a usury rate of up to 10.5% per year or 5 percentage points above the Federal Reserve discount rate. [4] [5]
- NSF Fee: $30 for a bad check; if unpaid, landlord can recover $100 or triple the check amount, whichever is greater. [6]
Landlord Resources
- Landlord-Tenant Laws – Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (AS 34.03).
- Handbook – The Alaska Landlord & Tenant Act: What it Means to You.
