Arizona Landlord And Tenant Legal Questions

The conditions for return of the security deposit conflict with the term of tenancy stated in the lease. This makes it difficult to predict whether a judge will give more weight to one provision than the other provision. Nothing was said about providing a written notice of termination, so I must assume that none was given, in which case you are responsible for at least one more month of rent. As for the deposit, it is not automatically forfeited. Instead, the landlord must provide you with an itemized list of deductions from the security deposit, which can include due and unpaid rent or future rent, if you did not provide a 30 day notice of termination.... Read More

Your lease included the rental unit and furniture. You are legally and financially responsible for the condition of the rental unit and the furniture. I would need to see a copy of your lease to see who is responsible for the furniture if it is stolen, but it is most probable that You are responsible for the furniture if it is stolen. If that is the case, then it does not matter whether or not a police report was filed regarding the furniture.... Read More

If the repairs needed involve serious health and safety issues then you should report them to the local government entity responsible for enforcement of the health and safety codes. Alternatively for smaller, more routine problems you should notify the landlord of the problem in writing and then if nothing is done within a reasonable time given the nature of the problem you can use a procedure known as repair and deduct. Under that procedure a tenant may repair a problem and deduct up to one month's rent. There are restrictions on the availability of this procedure so consult a real estate attorney who can assist you in determining if this procedure is right for you.... Read More

The clerks at the counter are helpful in the Justice Courts and there are forms online and at the courts that you can fill-out and file in Justice Court in Arizona.  Certainly photos and emails would be great evidence to prove damage or vandalism.  And emails can be a legally-binding admission by a party.... Read More

When a tenant is on a month-to-month lease term, the tenant must give at least 30 days written notice of his or her intention to vacate the premises.  The 30 days begins to run from the date that rent is due, usually the first day of the month.  For example, if the tenant gives 30 days notice on the 10th of the month, the tenant is responsible for that month's rent and the next month's rent -- because the tenant's 30-day notice to vacate does not begin until the 1st of the next month.  It is crucial to pay attention to all notice requirements contained in the lease (if there is a written lease).... Read More