Arkansas is the only state in the country without implied warranty of habitability. This means renters in the state have fewer rights to a livable and safe place to live. Arkansas is subject to critics who demand changes on the state's law on renting.
As Yahoo Real Estate reveals, Arkansas landlords have no legal responsibility to provide basic utilities such as heat, working plumbing or hot water. These utilities could only be provided if it is included in the renter's lease contract. However, Arkansas renters often end up sacrificing payments for rent to pay for the repairs. This is not the only problem as renters are also subjected to code violations and criminal prosecution, leading to their untimely evictions.
"If you're on a month to month lease, maybe it says the landlord makes repairs, maybe it doesn't - but if you report something to code, the first thing the landlord is going to do is try and evict you. That's why it's imperative that if we adopt a warranty of habitability, we also adopt a statute prohibiting retaliatory eviction," said Lynn Foster, professor at the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a member of the study commission.
The renting issues in Arkansas have been rampant over the years. The state landlords continue to have no obligation to repair or maintain their properties while renters are the one who suffer. As Ark Times reports, Arkansas is the only one of the 10 states that don't ban retaliatory eviction, which puts the renters at risk.
In other states, tenants have the right to live in a liveable and safe place with basic utilities such as heat, sturdy roofs safe from rain and snow, strong floors and walls, and hot water. Renters must live in a home where they have protection from burglars. The place they rent must be free from molds, lead, and asbestos. Nolo specifies that if the landlords fail to provide these basic utilities, tenants can withhold rent, sue the landlord, pay for repairs and deduct it from rent, or even leave the place without notice and without liability.
However, without such law to protect the renters in Arkansas, they will continue to suffer in case problems arise.
