Alabama Rental Lease Agreement Templates (6)

1.) Landlord or Authorized Person: The lease requires the landlord or an authorized person working on behalf of the landlord to be named, along with their business address in the lease (§ 35-9A-202).

2.) Lead-Based Paint Disclosure: If the residence was built prior to 1978, disclosure is required to inform the tenant of its dangers (42 U.S. Code § 4852d).

Grace Period: Rent is due at the time and place mentioned in the lease agreement (§ 35-9A-161(c)). There is no statutory grace period.

Unpaid Rent: If rent is not paid, the landlord can send a 7-day notice to quit, which gives the tenant seven business days to pay the owed rent plus late fees, or vacate the property (§ 35-9A-421(b)).

There is no maximum late fee that can be charged by the landlord. However, a late fee cannot be considered “unconscionable” (§ 35-9A-143(a)(1)).

The maximum fee is $30 for a bad check (non-sufficient funds) written by the tenant (§ 8-8-15(b)).

Security Deposit: The maximum amount is equal to one (1) month’s rent (§ 35-9A-201(a)).

Pet Deposit: If the tenant has a pet, the landlord is able to charge an additional amount that is uncapped for its “increased liability” (§ 35-9A-201(a)).

Returning to Tenant: After completion of the lease, the landlord is required to send the deposit to the tenant’s forwarding address within sixty (60) days (§ 35-9A-201(b)).

Itemized List: If the landlord does not return the security deposit, in full, an itemized list of the deductions is required to be disclosed in a separate document (§ 35-9A-201(c)).

Forfeiture of Deposit: If the tenant does not give a forwarding address to the landlord within ninety (90) days, the security deposit shall be deemed forfeited (§ 35-9A-201(d)).

Standard Entry: The landlord must provide at least two (2) days’ notice before entering the property for either a repair or to show the property to a potential tenant at the end of the lease term (§ 35-9A-303(c)).

Emergency Entry: The landlord may enter the property without notice for any of the following reasons:

• In the event of an emergency (§ 35-9A-303(b)(1));
• Pursuant to a court order (§ 35-9A-303(b)(2));
• Abandonment of more than 14 days (§ 35-9A-423); and
• Failure to maintain the property related to health and safety. Specifically, tenants who have failed to comply with a 7-day notice from the landlord (§ 35-9A-422).

Any absence of more than 14 days, the tenant is obligated to notify the landlord no later than the 5th day of the extended absence (§ 35-9A-304).

State Rule: The tenant cannot withhold rent to enforce any portion of the lease during tenancy, including to repair items under the landlord’s responsibility (§ 35-9A-164).

Notice to the Landlord: If a landlord refuses to repair the property during the tenancy, the tenant can issue a 14-day notice to quit. This informs the landlord of its non-compliance, which allows the tenant to move out if the repair is not completed during the 14 days (§ 35-9A-401(a)).

Duty to Mitigate: If a tenant breaks a lease early, the landlord has a “duty to mitigate damages,” which means the tenant is only responsible for the loss of rent until a new tenant is found. If the landlord has other vacant units, they are obligated to market them all in a fair and equitable manner (§ 35-9A-105(a)).

Landlord’s Violation: If a landlord causes the interruption of heat, running water, hot water, electricity, gas, or other essential services, the tenant can terminate the lease with 14 days’ notice (§ 35-9A-401) and recover up to 3 months of monthly rent (§ 35-9A-407).

Active Military: If the tenant is an active servicemember and is reassigned, they can terminate the lease after giving written notice. The official termination date will be 30 days after the next rent payment date (50 U.S. Code § 3955).

Yes, a lease that is for a maximum period of 12 months is legal and enforceable. If the lease is for a longer period than 12 months, it must be in writing (§ 8-9-2(5)).

There is no cap or maximum on how much a landlord can increase the rent. This applies to both month-to-month leases and when renewing a standard 12-month agreement.

A landlord can dispose of any personal belongings left behind by the tenant after 14 days if left at the premises (§ 35-9A-423(d)).

The laws regulating landlord-tenant relationships are covered in the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.