An Arkansas rental application helps property owners and landlords vet prospective tenants. Gathering information from many applicants through a thorough screening process is essential in finding reliable and trustworthy tenants.
Laws
- Application Fee – Non-refundable, even if the applicant is denied.
- Fee Limits – No limits.
- Security Deposit – No limit on the amount that landlords can demand, except for when they own more than five properties – max. two months’ rent.
Application Fee
- There are no state statute limits on the amount of money a property owner can charge for the processing.
- The fees should still be reasonable and comparable to the costs of background checks.
Fair Housing Protections
- It is illegal for anyone involved in real estate transactions to discriminate based on religion, race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or familial status. [1]
- This includes refusing to engage in transactions, discriminate in terms or conditions, reject offers, refuse negotiations, misrepresent property availability, or use discriminatory advertising. [2]
Security Deposit Limits
- A security deposit may be up to two months’ rent if the landlord rents six or more properties in the state. [3] [4]
- A property owner with fewer than six rental properties who doesn’t employ a property manager to handle leasing or collect rent may charge a “reasonable” security deposit.
- There is no requirement for a landlord to provide a tenant with a receipt for any fees or rent paid to them, but it is best practice to do so.
- Some states have laws governing how landlords must hold security deposits to ensure that the deposit is always available for repayment. Arkansas does not have regulations regarding this.
Pet Deposits
Pet deposits are a common component of the security deposit. Arkansas doesn’t have any state-specific laws governing pet deposits. However, under the Federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, a landlord cannot charge a pet deposit or fee where the animal in question is a service animal.
Sample
