{"id":371374,"date":"2017-09-11T12:26:22","date_gmt":"2017-09-11T17:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/alabama-law\/alabama-tenant-rights-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-10-29T15:02:14","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T20:02:14","slug":"alabama-tenant-rights-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/alabama-law\/alabama-tenant-rights-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Alabama Tenant Rights Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Alabama Tenant Rights Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Alabama is generally considered a landlord-friendly state. While tenants have some legal protection, Alabama law tends to favor landlords and property management companies. This is especially true regarding nonpayment of rent and late fees.<\/p>\r\n

In this article, we will explain Alabama\u2019s landlord-tenant law and discuss how Alabama law affects tenant\u2019s rights. If you\u2019re experiencing issues with your landlord and feel it\u2019s time to take them to small claims court<\/a>, you should familiarize yourself with these laws. The same is true if you\u2019re a property owner or landlord dealing with a problem tenant.<\/p>\r\n

Alabama Tenants’ Rights Overview<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Alabama statutes detail landlord and tenant responsibilities and rights. This includes provisions on collecting and returning security deposits<\/a>, rent, and eviction. While Alabama offers tenants a modicum of protection from unfair treatment by a landlord, Alabama doesn’t recognize certain tenants’ rights that many other states do.<\/p>\r\n

For example, some states allow a tenant to "repair and deduct,"<\/a> meaning they can pay for necessary repairs and deduct the cost from their rent. Of course, they can only do this if the landlord refuses to make reasonable repairs.<\/p>\r\n

In Alabama, if tenants withhold rent after paying for repairs, their landlord can take this as a violation of the lease and give them an eviction notice.<\/p>\r\n

Alabama and the Fair Housing Act<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Alabama lawmakers have adopted the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), which prohibits landlords from discriminating against tenants based on race, religion, gender, or other classifications.<\/p>\r\n

While some states implement unique laws protecting LGBTQ individuals from housing discrimination<\/a>, Alabama chooses to incorporate the federal statute instead.<\/p>\r\n

Can a Landlord Enter Without Permission in Alabama?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Generally, yes. As long as the landlord has a reasonable rationale for wanting to enter the unit and gives the tenant reasonable notice, the tenant does not have the right to withhold consent or deny entry (Alabama Code \u00a7 35-9A-303). <\/p>\r\n

One frustration for many Alabama renters is that the law doesn\u2019t require landlords to give a specific amount of notice before entering the tenant\u2019s unit. Under Alabama law, all a landlord must do is give their tenant \u201creasonable\u201d notice that they intend to enter the property.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In many situations, landlords have the right to enter and inspect a rental unit without the tenant\u2019s consent. Some of these include:<\/p>\r\n