Arizona residential lease agreement

State form

• At move-in an Arizona landlord gives the tenant a signed copy of the lease, a move-in form for listing existing damage, and written notice that the tenant may attend the move-out inspection.³
• Arizona Revised Statutes Section 33-1322 requires the landlord to disclose in writing, by the start of the tenancy, the name and address of the property manager and of the owner or the owner’s agent for notices.²
• An Arizona landlord must tell the tenant in writing, by the start of the tenancy, that the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is available on the Arizona Department of Housing website.²
• Unless an Arizona rental agreement fixes a definite term, the tenancy is month-to-month, or week-to-week for a roomer who pays weekly rent.⁴

Signing

• With a written Arizona lease, the landlord delivers a signed copy and the tenant signs and returns one fully executed copy, and every blank space must be filled in.²
• Under the Arizona statute of frauds, a lease for longer than one year cannot be enforced in court unless it, or a memorandum of it, is in writing and signed by the party charged.⁵

Deadlines

• An Arizona landlord sends an itemized list of deductions and any refund within fourteen days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, after the tenancy ends, the tenant returns possession and demands it.³
• Either an Arizona landlord or tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy with written notice given at least thirty days before the periodic rental date named in the notice.¹
• A week-to-week tenancy in Arizona ends with written notice given at least ten days before the termination date.¹
• Except in an emergency or when impracticable, an Arizona landlord gives at least two days’ notice before entering and enters only at reasonable times.⁶
• If rent is unpaid, an Arizona landlord may file a special detainer action once the tenant fails to pay within five days after written notice of nonpayment.⁷

Where it is filed

• Unless the tenant arranges otherwise in writing, an Arizona landlord mails the itemized deposit list and any refund by first class mail to the tenant’s last known residence.³
• An Arizona tenant who does not dispute the itemized deposit list within sixty days after it is mailed waives further claims to the deposit.³

Taxes and fees

• An Arizona landlord may not demand security, including prepaid rent, of more than one and one-half month’s rent, though a tenant may choose to prepay more.³
• Arizona requires the landlord to state in writing the purpose of every nonrefundable fee or deposit; any fee not designated nonrefundable is refundable.³
• An Arizona tenant behind on rent can reinstate the lease before an eviction filing by paying all past due rent and a reasonable late fee set forth in a written rental agreement.⁷

Law

• An Arizona landlord who fails to follow the deposit rules owes the tenant the money due plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld.³
• Arizona lease clauses waiving the tenant’s rights under the Act or limiting the landlord’s liability are unenforceable, and deliberately using them can cost up to two months’ rent.⁸
• Arizona landlords must keep the premises fit and habitable and supply reasonable air-conditioning or cooling where such units are installed, when seasonal weather requires.⁹
• Arizona law presumes an occupancy limit of two persons per bedroom to be reasonable statewide.¹⁰

• Property address and what is included (parking, storage, appliances)
• Start date, end date or month-to-month term
• Monthly rent, due date and security deposit amount
• Rules on pets, smoking, repairs and utilities

It is not a roommate agreement between tenants, and it is not a commercial lease for a store or office.