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AR · Habitability

Arkansas habitability

If a rental in Arkansas is unsafe — no heat, no water, serious mold, pests, broken locks — photograph it, write the landlord, and ask the city housing or health department about a complaint. What a landlord must keep working is in Arkansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Ask legal aid before you withhold rent.

You do not have to solve the whole case tonight. Take the next right step.

Do this today

  • Photograph the condition. Include anything that makes the unit unsafe to occupy.
  • Write the landlord. Date it. Keep a copy.
  • Ask the city about a housing or health complaint process.
  • If you cannot stay in the unit tonight, 211 can help with shelter and local services.

What does 'uninhabitable' mean in ${n}?

There is no national checklist for private rentals. Arkansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is where Arkansas describes the landlord's duty to keep the place fit to live in. Heat, water, sanitation, and structural safety are the usual core — the exact list is in the chapter, not here.

What if I have to leave tonight?

Safety first. 911 if someone is in danger. 211 for shelter and local services. A condition complaint and a repair request can wait until you are somewhere safe. Legal aid can talk through whether Arkansas allows you to treat the unit as unlivable and what that does to the tenancy.

Does Arkansas have a residential landlord-tenant act?

Yes — Ark. Code §§ 18-17-101 to 18-17-913. We name the chapter. We do not reprint a deposit cap or a notice period.

The Arkansas chapter

Arkansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ark. Code §§ 18-17-101 to 18-17-913) is the starting point. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.

Arkansas state law is the floor. Cities may add rent boards, just-cause rules, or extra protected classes. Confirm locally.

Official sources

Common questions

Is 'uninhabitable' the same in every Arkansas city?

The state chapter is the floor. City housing codes can add more. Confirm both. Arkansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is the starting point.

Can I stop paying rent if the unit in Arkansas is unsafe?

Only if Arkansas provides a process, and only if you follow it. Ask legal aid first. A wrong withhold can become an eviction case on top of the condition problem.

Does Arkansas have a residential landlord-tenant act?

Yes — Ark. Code §§ 18-17-101 to 18-17-913. We name the chapter. We do not reprint a deposit cap or a notice period.

The national habitability guide has the full sequence. Open the habitability guide

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Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org