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Arkansas · Repairs · Updated Oct 2026

Arkansas tenant repair rights

In Arkansas, ask your landlord for repairs in writing first. Our free letter does it for you.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026

Short answer

Since November 1, 2021, every residential lease (signed or renewed after that date) requires the home to have, at move-in and throughout the lease: hot and cold running water, electricity, safe drinking water, sewer and plumbing that met code when installed, a functioning roof and building envelope, and working heating and air-conditioning if the home had them when you signed.

Repair and deduct
Not allowed
Withholding rent
Not allowed
Notice before entry
No statute

Get your letter ↓

We could not confirm all of Arkansas's rules yet. Some facts on this page rest on limited sources. Check the official sources below, or ask legal aid, before you rely on them.

Get repairs made, step by step

  1. Write down the problem and take dated photos or video.
  2. Ask in writing and keep a copy. In Arkansas: Send the landlord written notice of the problem by certified mail (or another method your lease allows), describing what is wrong.
  3. Give the landlord the time the rule allows, and let them in to do the work with proper notice.
  4. If nothing happens, call your local housing or code inspector and talk to legal aid before you stop paying any rent.
  5. Keep paying rent unless the rule above lets you withhold it and you follow its steps exactly.

Repair request letter for Arkansas

Ask your landlord in writing to fix the problem by a date. A written, dated request is the first step in almost every state, and it is proof that the landlord knew. Check the problems, add dates, then download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it). Sign it, keep a copy and photos, and send it in a way you can prove.

The name on your lease or rent receipts.

What needs repair? (required)

Usually today. The deadline in the letter counts from this date.

We suggest 14 days for other problems.

Arkansas's rule on asking for repairs:Send the landlord written notice of the problem by certified mail (or another method your lease allows), describing what is wrong. If your rent is current and the landlord does not fix it within 30 calendar days, your only remedy under the statute is to end the lease without penalty and get back your deposit. You can also call your city code enforcement office. Ark. Code § 18-17-502(d).

Dates, rooms and how the problem affects you. This text goes into the letter as written.

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Other formats

Sign it, keep a copy, and send it by certified mail with a return receipt. The receipt is your proof that the landlord got it.

Where to get free help in Arkansas

Repairs in Arkansas

The landlord's duty
Since November 1, 2021, every residential lease (signed or renewed after that date) requires the home to have, at move-in and throughout the lease: hot and cold running water, electricity, safe drinking water, sewer and plumbing that met code when installed, a functioning roof and building envelope, and working heating and air-conditioning if the home had them when you signed. Beyond these minimums, Arkansas has no general warranty of habitability; local housing codes may require more. Ark. Code § 18-17-502.
How to ask for repairs
Send the landlord written notice of the problem by certified mail (or another method your lease allows), describing what is wrong. If your rent is current and the landlord does not fix it within 30 calendar days, your only remedy under the statute is to end the lease without penalty and get back your deposit. You can also call your city code enforcement office. Ark. Code § 18-17-502(d).
Repair and deduct
Not allowed. You may not offset rent for violations of the minimum standards. Ark. Code § 18-17-502(d)(3).
Withholding rent
Not allowed. The law says you may not withhold rent for violations of the minimum standards. Keep paying rent. Ark. Code § 18-17-502(d)(3).
Law
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502 (Act 1052 of 2021)

Landlord entry in Arkansas

No statute found that sets a notice period for landlord entry. Check your lease and ask that entry terms be written in it.

Retaliation in Arkansas

No statute found protecting tenants from retaliation. Arkansas law lets a landlord end a month-to-month tenancy for any reason with proper notice. Retaliation based on fair housing complaints is illegal under the federal Fair Housing Act.

More for Arkansas renters

Repairs in nearby states

Sources

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026