Alabama Lease Agreements & Landlord-Tenant Law

When it comes to Alabama rental laws, there are a few specifics landlords need to know:

1. Security Deposit – Alabama limits the amount a landlord may charge for the security deposit to the equivalent of one month’s rent. Landlords must return the deposit within 60 days of the tenant moving out.
2. Raising Rent – Landlords in Alabama may increase the rent to any amount for any reason with no notice.
3. Notice of Entry – Alabama requires a two-day written notice from the landlord before entering.
4. Repairs – It is the landlord’s responsibility to keep the rental in safe and healthy living conditions. Landlords must make repairs within 14 days of being notified by the tenant. If they fail to do so, the tenant may make the repairs themselves and deduct the cost from their next rent payment.

Alabama Landlords’ Rights and Tenant Responsibilities

• Tenants have seven days to pay rent after they receive a notice
• Must give a 30-day notice before terminating a lease
• Tenants must clean or make small repairs
• A tenant has 14 days to claim abandoned property

1. Overdue Rent – If a tenant fails to pay rent on time, the landlord must give them a seven-day notice to pay or quit. If the tenant fails to pay, the landlord may file for eviction.
2. Terminating a Lease – If a tenant needs to terminate a month-to-month lease, they must give the landlord a 30-day notice.
3. Tenant Responsibilities – Tenants are required to keep the property clean and not disturb neighbors. If their landlord deems necessary, the tenant must clean the property within seven days of being notified by the landlord.
4. Abandoned Property – If a tenant moves out and leaves personal property, the landlord must send them a written notice and store the property for 14 days. After this time period, if the ex-tenant has not claimed it, the landlord may sell it or throw it away.

Rental Application Fee

There are no additional rental application fee laws.

Criminal History Check

• HUD (Federal) laws do not classify criminal backgrounds as a protected class, but making a decision to rent based off a criminal background alone could lead to a discrimination charge as it impacts certain protected groups of people disproportionately.
  • However, if the criminal background check revealed a crime for the manufacture and distribution of drugs, homicide and/or stalking, denying the application is allowed.
• Landlords should have a consistent and equal policy or procedure in place to follow regarding criminal background checks so as not to discriminate against one class of people over another.
• HUD states that a landlord cannot ask about arrest records, only convictions, as innocent people are commonly arrested though the situation may not have resulted in a conviction.
• Some municipalities may have written their own laws expanding onto what you can and cannot ask regarding criminal backgrounds during the tenant screening process.

Security Deposit

Landlords can charge up to one month’s rent as the security deposit, although that amount can increase if pets are allowed.
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Alabama Lease Agreement Example

There are three sections to a residential lease agreement. The first section outlines the custom details of the contract, such as who’s involved and for what address. Here’s an example Alabama lease agreement listing details found in Section 1:

Alabama Landlord-Tenant Law FAQs

Below are answers to some of the most commonly-asked questions when it comes to landlord-tenant laws in Alabama: