Arizona Landlord-Tenant Law
Arizona Revised Statutes – Title 33 Property
| Termination for Nonpayment Notice (Eviction Notice) | 5-Day Notice Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1368 |
| Termination for Lease Violation Notice | 5-Days Notice for breach of the lease that materially affects health and safety. 10-Days for other lease agreement violations Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1368 |
| Small Claim Court Limit | Arizona Small Claim Court Limit is $3,500 |
| Handling Abandoned Property | Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1368 |
| Penalty for Self-Help Eviction | A penalty of two months’ rent or two times the actual damage, whichever is greater. Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1367 |
| Tenant Withholding Rent for Repairs | Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1365 |
| Required Disclosures | Non-refundable fees purpose disclosure; Written notification that tenants can be present at the move-out inspection; Disclosure for utility charges Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1314.01 |
| Non-Refundable Fees | Permitted but the purpose should be stated in writing by the landlord. |
| Security Deposit Rules | Security Deposit Amount: Maximum One and a Half Months‘Rent; 14 Days to Itemize Deductions and 60 days to Return Deposit if there were deductions from the deposit |
| Month-to-Month Notice | 30 days Notice to End Month-to-Month Tenancy Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1375 |
| Payment of Rent | Reasonable Late Fees |
| Property Entry Notice | Two Days Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1343 |
Nonpayment of Rent
B. A tenant may not withhold rent for any reason not authorized by this chapter. If rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay rent within five days after written notice by the landlord of nonpayment and the landlord’s intention to terminate the rental agreement if the rent is not paid within that period of time, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement by filing a special detainer action pursuant to section 33-1377. Before the filing of a special detainer action the rental agreement shall be reinstated if the tenant tenders all past due and unpaid periodic rent and a reasonable late fee set forth in a written rental agreement. After a special detainer action is filed the rental agreement is reinstated only if the tenant pays all past due rent, reasonable late fees set forth in a written rental agreement, attorney fees and court costs. After a judgment has been entered in a special detainer action in favor of the landlord, any reinstatement of the rental agreement is solely in the discretion of the landlord. https://www.azleg.gov/ars/33/01368.htm
Handling Abandoned Property
33-1370. Abandonment; notice; remedies; personal property; definition
A. If a dwelling unit is abandoned after the time prescribed in subsection J of this section, the landlord shall send the tenant a notice of abandonment by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the tenant’s last known address and to any of the tenant’s alternate addresses known to the landlord. The landlord shall also post a notice of abandonment on the door to the dwelling unit or any other conspicuous place on the property for five days.
B. Five days after the notice of abandonment has been both posted and mailed, the landlord may retake the dwelling unit and rerent the dwelling unit at a fair rental value if no personal property remains in the dwelling unit. After the landlord retakes the dwelling unit, money held by the landlord as a security deposit is forfeited and shall be applied to the payment of any accrued rent and other reasonable costs incurred by the landlord by reason of the tenant’s abandonment.
C. If the tenant abandons the dwelling unit, the landlord shall make reasonable efforts to rent the dwelling unit at a fair rental. If the landlord rents the dwelling unit for a term beginning before the expiration of the rental agreement, the rental agreement is deemed to be terminated as of the date the new tenancy begins. If the landlord fails to use reasonable efforts to rent the dwelling unit at a fair rental or if the landlord accepts the abandonment as a surrender, the rental agreement is deemed to be terminated by the landlord as of the date the landlord has notice of the abandonment. If the tenancy is from month to month or week to week, the term of the rental agreement for this purpose shall be deemed to be a month or a week, as the case may be.
D. After the landlord retakes possession of the dwelling unit, and if the tenant’s personal property remains in the dwelling unit, the landlord shall prepare an inventory and notify the tenant of the location and cost of storage of the personal property in the same manner prescribed in subsection A of this section.
E. After the landlord retakes possession of the dwelling unit, the landlord may store the tenant’s personal possessions in the unoccupied dwelling unit that was abandoned by the tenant, any other available unit or any storage space owned by the landlord or off the premises if a dwelling unit or storage space is not available. The landlord is not required to store the tenant’s perishable items, plants and animals on behalf of the tenant. The landlord may remove or dispose of, as appropriate, the perishable items, including plants. At the landlord’s discretion, the landlord may remove and dispose of any personal property in the dwelling unit that is contaminated or may be considered a biohazard or poses a health and safety risk. At the landlord’s discretion, the tenant’s abandoned animals may be immediately removed and released to a shelter or boarding facility. The landlord shall keep a record of the name and location of the shelter or boarding facility to which the animal was released. If the landlord does not immediately remove and release the abandoned animals to a shelter or boarding facility, the landlord shall provide reasonable care for the abandoned animals for the period prescribed by subsection F of this section. If the landlord is unable or unwilling to provide reasonable care to the abandoned animals, the landlord shall notify the county enforcement agent as defined in section 11-1001 or an animal control officer as prescribed in section 9-499.04 of the presence of the tenant’s abandoned animals on the property to be seized pursuant to section 13-4281. The landlord is not liable for any actions taken in good faith related to the removal, release, seizure or care of the abandoned animals pursuant to this section.
F. The landlord shall hold the tenant’s personal property for a period of fourteen calendar days after the landlord retakes possession of the dwelling unit. The landlord shall use reasonable care in moving and holding the tenant’s personal property. If the landlord holds the property for this period and the tenant makes no reasonable effort to recover it, the landlord may donate the personal property to a qualifying charitable organization as defined in section 43-1088 or otherwise recognized charity or sell the property. If the landlords sells the property, the landlord shall retain the proceeds and apply them toward the tenant’s outstanding rent or other costs that are covered in the lease agreement or otherwise provided for in this chapter or title 12, chapter 8 and that have been incurred by the landlord, and excess proceeds shall be mailed to the tenant at the tenant’s last known address. A tenant does not have any right of access to that property until the actual removal and storage costs have been paid in full, except that the tenant may obtain clothing and the tools, apparatus and books of a trade or profession and any identification or financial documents, including all those related to the tenant’s immigration status, employment status, public assistance or medical care. The landlord may destroy or otherwise dispose of some or all of the property if the landlord reasonably determines that the value of the property is so low that the cost of moving, storage and conducting a public sale exceeds the amount that would be realized from the sale. Any tax benefit associated with the donation of the personal property belongs to the tenant. A landlord that complies with this section is not liable for any loss to the tenant or any third party that results from moving, storing or donating any personal property left in the dwelling unit.
G. For a period of twelve months after the sale, the landlord shall:
1. Keep adequate records of the outstanding and unpaid rent and the sale of the tenant’s personal property.
2. Hold for the benefit of the tenant any excess proceeds that have been returned as undeliverable.
H. If the tenant notifies the landlord in writing on or before the date the landlord sells or otherwise disposes of the personal property that the tenant intends to remove the personal property from the dwelling unit or the place of safekeeping, the tenant has five days to reclaim the personal property. To reclaim the personal property the tenant must only pay for the costs associated with removal and storage for the period the tenant’s personal property was stored. Except as provided in subsections E or I of this section for personal property exempt from storage requirements, within five days after a written offer by the tenant to pay the applicable storage or removal costs the landlord must surrender possession of the personal property in the landlord’s possession to the tenant upon the tenant’s tender of payment. If the landlord fails to surrender possession of the personal property to the tenant, the tenant may recover the possessions or an amount equal to the damages determined by the court if the landlord has destroyed or disposed of the possessions before the fourteen days specified in this section or after the tenant’s offer to pay.
I. Notwithstanding subsections D, E, F and G of this section, if the tenant returns to the landlord the keys to the dwelling unit and there is personal property remaining in the dwelling unit, the landlord may immediately remove and dispose of the personal property without liability to the tenant or a third party unless the landlord and tenant have agreed in writing to some other treatment of the property.
J. For the purposes of this section “abandonment” means either the absence of the tenant from the dwelling unit, without notice to the landlord for at least seven days, if rent for the dwelling unit is outstanding and unpaid for ten days and there is no reasonable evidence other than the presence of the tenant’s personal property that the tenant is occupying the residence or the absence of the tenant for at least five days, if the rent for the dwelling unit is outstanding and unpaid for five days and none of the tenant’s personal property is in the dwelling unit.
Tenant Withholding Rent for Repairs
33-1365. Landlord’s noncompliance as defense to action for possession or rent; definition
A. In an action for possession based upon nonpayment of the rent or in an action for rent where the tenant is in possession, if the landlord is not in compliance with the rental agreement or this chapter, the tenant may counterclaim for any amount which he may recover under the rental agreement or this chapter. In that event after notice and hearing the court from time to time may order the tenant to pay into court all or part of the undisputed rent accrued and all periodic rent thereafter accruing and shall determine the amount due to each party. The party to whom a net amount is owed shall be paid first from the money paid into court and the balance, if any, by the other party. However, if no rent remains due after application of this section, or if the tenant is adjudged to have acted in good faith and satisfies a judgment for rent entered for the landlord, judgment shall be entered for the tenant in the action for possession.
B. In an action for rent where the tenant is not in possession, the tenant may counterclaim as provided in subsection A but the tenant is not required to pay any rent into court.
Separate Utility Charges
33-1314.01. Utility charges; submetering; ratio utility billing; allocation; water system exemption
A. A landlord may charge separately for gas, water, wastewater, solid waste removal or electricity by installing a submetering system or by allocating the charges separately through a ratio utility billing system.
B. If a landlord charges separately for a utility pursuant to subsection A, the landlord may recover the charges imposed on the landlord by the utility provider plus an administrative fee for the landlord for actual administrative costs only. The landlord shall not impose any additional charges. The rental agreement shall contain a disclosure that lists the utility services that are charged separately and shall specify the amount of any administrative fee that is associated with submetering or the use of a ratio utility billing system.
C. If provided in the rental agreement, the landlord may impose a submetering system or ratio utility billing system during the term of a rental agreement if the landlord provides notice as prescribed by subsection G.
D. If a landlord is not in compliance with subsection B, the tenant shall first object in writing to the landlord regarding the utility billing. If the dispute is not resolved, the tenant may file a civil complaint in justice court to enforce this section.
E. If a landlord uses an allocation or submetering system, the bill format for each billing period shall:
1. Separately state the cost of the charges for the period together with the opening and the closing meter readings and the dates of the meter readings.
2. Show the amount of any administrative fee charged.
F. If a landlord does not use a submetering system and allocates charges separately for gas, water, wastewater, solid waste removal or electricity, the landlord may allocate the costs to each tenant by using one or more of the following ratio utility billing system methods:
1. Per tenant.
2. Proportionately by livable square footage.
3. Per type of unit.
4. Per number of water fixtures.
5. For water and wastewater, by use of an individually submetered hot water usage measure for the tenant’s dwelling unit.
6. Any other method that fairly allocates the charges and that is described in the tenant’s rental agreement.
G. If a landlord uses a ratio utility billing system method pursuant to subsection F, the rental agreement shall contain a specific description of the ratio utility billing method used to allocate utility costs. For any existing tenancies, the landlord shall provide at least ninety days’ notice to the tenant before the landlord begins using a submetering system or allocating costs through a ratio utility billing system.
H. For purposes of regulating apartment communities as public or consecutive water systems, the department of environmental quality shall not adopt rules pursuant to title 49, chapter 2, article 9 that are more stringent than those authorized by federal law. Without other evidence of activities that are subject to regulation under title 49, chapter 2, article 9, the department of environmental quality shall not use an apartment community’s use of a submetering system or a ratio utility billing system as the sole basis for regulating an apartment community as a public or consecutive water system.
Security Deposit
A. A landlord shall not demand or receive security, however denominated, including prepaid rent in an amount or value of more than one and one-half month’s rent. This subsection does not prohibit a tenant from voluntarily paying more than one and one-half month’s rent in advance.
B. The purpose of all nonrefundable fees or deposits shall be stated in writing by the landlord. Any fee or deposit not designated as nonrefundable is refundable.
C. On move in, a landlord shall furnish the tenant with a signed copy of the lease, a move-in form for specifying any existing damages to the dwelling unit and written notification to the tenant that the tenant may be present at the move-out inspection. On request by the tenant, the landlord shall notify the tenant when the landlord’s move-out inspection will occur. If the tenant is being evicted for a material and irreparable breach and the landlord has reasonable cause to fear violence or intimidation on the part of the tenant, the landlord has no obligation to conduct a joint move-out inspection with the tenant.
D. On termination of the tenancy, property or money held by the landlord as prepaid rent and security may be applied to the payment of all rent, and subject to a landlord’s duty to mitigate, all charges as specified in the signed lease agreement, or as provided in this chapter, including the amount of damages which the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant’s noncompliance with section 33-1341. Within fourteen days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays or other legal holidays, after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession and demand by the tenant the landlord shall provide the tenant an itemized list of all deductions together with the amount due and payable to the tenant, if any. Unless other arrangements are made in writing by the tenant, the landlord shall mail the itemized list and any amount due, by first class mail, to the tenant’s last known place of residence. If the tenant does not dispute the deductions or the amount due and payable to the tenant within sixty days after the itemized list and amount due are mailed as prescribed by this subsection, the amount due to the tenant as set forth in the itemized list with any amount due is deemed valid and final and any further claims of the tenant are waived.
E. If the landlord fails to comply with subsection D of this section, the tenant may recover the property and money due the tenant together with damages in an amount equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld.
F. This section does not preclude the landlord or tenant from recovering other damages to which the landlord or tenant may be entitled under this chapter.
G. During the term of tenancy the landlord may use refundable security deposits or other refundable deposits in accordance with any applicable provisions of the property management agreement. At the end of tenancy, all refundable deposits shall be refunded to the tenant pursuant to this section.
H. The holder of the landlord’s interest in the premises at the time of the termination of the tenancy is bound by this section.
