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House Engrossed Senate Bill |
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State of Arizona Senate Forty-eighth Legislature First Regular Session 2007
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SENATE BILL 1255 |
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AN ACT
Amending sections 33-1314, 33-1321, 33-1341 and 33-1343, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to the Arizona residential landlord and tenant act.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 33-1314, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
33-1314. Terms and conditions of rental agreement
A. The landlord and tenant may include in a rental agreement terms and conditions not prohibited by this chapter or any other rule of law including rent, term of the agreement and other provisions governing the rights and obligations of the parties.
B. In the absence of a rental agreement, the tenant shall pay as rent the fair rental value for the use and occupancy of the dwelling unit.
C. Rent shall be payable without demand or notice at the time and place agreed upon by the parties. Unless otherwise agreed, rent is payable at the dwelling unit and periodic rent is payable at the beginning of any term of one month or less and otherwise in equal monthly installments at the beginning of each month. Unless otherwise agreed, rent shall be uniformly apportionable from day‑to‑day.
D. Unless the rental agreement fixes a definite term, the tenancy shall be week‑to‑week in case of a roomer who pays weekly rent, and in all other cases month‑to‑month.
E. If a municipality that levies a transaction privilege tax on residential rent changes the percentage of that tax, the landlord on thirty day days' written notice to the tenant may adjust the amount of rent due to equal the difference caused by the new percentage amount of the tax. The adjustment to rent shall not occur before the date upon which the new tax is effective. In order for a landlord to adjust rent pursuant to this subsection, the landlord's right to adjust rent pursuant to this subsection shall be disclosed in the rental agreement.
f. Notwithstanding section 14-3911, the landlord may request and the tenant may provide and routinely update the name and contact information of a person who is authorized by the tenant to enter the tenant's dwelling unit to retrieve and store the tenant's property if the tenant dies. If the landlord is unable to contact the authorized person at the address and telephone number provided to the landlord by the tenant or the authorized person fails to respond to the landlord's request within ten days of initial written contact, the landlord may dispose of the property as prescribed in section 33‑1370. Before removing any of the tenant's personal property, the authorized person shall present to the landlord a valid government issued identification that confirms the identity of the authorized person. The authorized person shall have twenty days from the date of initial written contact by the landlord or the last date for which rent is paid, whichever is longer, to remove items from the rental property and return keys to the landlord during regular business hours. If the landlord allows an authorized person to enter the property to remove the tenant's personal possessions as prescribed by this subsection, the landlord has no further liability to the tenant, the tenant's estate or the tenant's heirs for lost, damaged or stolen items. If the tenant's personal property is not entirely removed from the rental unit by an authorized person, the landlord may dispose of the property as prescribed in section 33‑1370. This section shall only apply if the periodic rent is unpaid and outstanding for at least five days.
Sec. 2. Section 33-1321, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
33-1321. Security deposits
A. A landlord shall not demand or receive security, however denominated, including, but not limited to, prepaid rent in an amount or value in excess of one and one‑half month's rent. This subsection does not prohibit a tenant from voluntarily paying more than one and one‑half month's rent in advance.
B. The purpose of all nonrefundable fees or deposits shall be stated in writing by the landlord. Any fee or deposit not designated as nonrefundable shall be refundable.
C. With respect to tenants who first occupy the premises or enter into a new written rental agreement after January 1, 1996, upon move in a landlord shall furnish the tenant with a signed copy of the lease, a move‑in form for specifying any existing damages to the dwelling unit and written notification to the tenant that the tenant may be present at the move‑out inspection. Upon request by the tenant, the landlord shall notify the tenant when the landlord's move‑out inspection will occur. If the tenant is being evicted for a material and irreparable breach and the landlord has reasonable cause to fear violence or intimidation on the part of the tenant, the landlord has no obligation to conduct a joint move‑out inspection with the tenant.
D. Upon termination of the tenancy, property or money held by the landlord as prepaid rent and security may be applied to the payment of all rent, and subject to a landlord's duty to mitigate, all charges as specified in the signed lease agreement, or as provided in this chapter, including the amount of damages which the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant's noncompliance with section 33‑1341. Within fourteen days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays or other legal holidays, after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession and demand by the tenant the landlord shall provide the tenant an itemized list of all deductions together with the amount due and payable to the tenant, if any. Unless other arrangements are made in writing by the tenant, the landlord shall mail the itemized list and any amount due, by regular first class mail, to the tenant's last known place of residence.
E. If the landlord fails to comply with subsection D of this section the tenant may recover the property and money due the tenant together with damages in an amount equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld.
F. This section does not preclude the landlord or tenant from recovering other damages to which the landlord or tenant may be entitled under this chapter.
G. During the term of tenancy the landlord may use refundable security deposits or other refundable deposits in accordance with any applicable provisions of the property management agreement. At the end of tenancy, all refundable deposits shall be refunded to the tenant pursuant to this section.
G. H. The holder of the landlord's interest in the premises at the time of the termination of the tenancy is bound by this section.
Sec. 3. Section 33-1341, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
33-1341. Tenant to maintain dwelling unit
The tenant shall:
1. Comply with all obligations primarily imposed upon tenants by applicable provisions of building codes materially affecting health and safety.
2. Keep that part of the premises that he occupies and uses as clean and safe as the condition of the premises permit.
3. Dispose from his dwelling unit all ashes, rubbish, garbage and other waste in a clean and safe manner.
4. Keep all plumbing fixtures in the dwelling unit or used by the tenant as clean as their condition permits.
5. Use in a reasonable manner all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air‑conditioning and other facilities and appliances including elevators in the premises.
6. Not deliberately or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair or remove any part of the premises or knowingly permit any person to do so.
7. Conduct himself and require other persons on the premises with his consent to conduct themselves in a manner that will not disturb his neighbors' peaceful enjoyment of the premises.
8. The tenant shall notify the landlord of any situation or occurrence that requires the landlord to provide maintenance, make repairs or otherwise requires the landlord to take action as prescribed in section 33‑1324.
Sec. 4. Section 33-1343, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
33-1343. Access
A. The tenant shall not unreasonably withhold consent to the landlord to enter into the dwelling unit in order to inspect the premises, make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations or improvements, supply necessary or agreed services or exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workmen or contractors.
B. If the tenant notifies the landlord of a service request or a request for maintenance as prescribed in section 33-1341, paragraph 8, the notice from the tenant constitutes permission from the tenant for the landlord to enter the dwelling unit pursuant to SUBSECTION D of this section for the sole purpose of acting on the service or maintenance request.
B. C. The landlord may enter the dwelling unit without consent of the tenant in case of emergency.
C. D. The landlord shall not abuse the right to access or use it to harass the tenant. Except in case of emergency or if it is impracticable to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant at least two days' notice of his the landlord’s intent to enter and enter only at reasonable times.
D. E. The landlord has no other right of access except by court order and as permitted by sections 33‑1369 and 33‑1370, or if the tenant has abandoned or surrendered the premises.