Arkansas Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
Arkansas rules on mold, pests, heat & ac for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No statute — Arkansas has no mold disclosure or remediation law for rentals. Arkansas's implied residential quality standards (for leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021) require only running hot and cold water, electricity, potable water, code-compliant sewer and… Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502 (added by Act 1052 of 2021)
The rules in Arkansas
| Mold | No statute — Arkansas has no mold disclosure or remediation law for rentals. Arkansas's implied residential quality standards (for leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021) require only running hot and cold water, electricity, potable water, code-compliant sewer and plumbing, a functioning roof and building envelope, and working heat and air conditioning if it served the unit when the lease was signed. Mold is not listed. A leaking roof or failed building envelope that causes mold may fall under the 'functioning roof and building envelope' standard. The tenant's only remedy is to give written notice and, if the defect is not fixed within 30 days and rent is current, end the lease without penalty; rent may not be withheld. Stricter local housing codes still apply. |
|---|---|
| Pests & bed bugs | No statute on pests or bed bugs. They are not among Arkansas's implied quality standards, so the lease and local codes govern who treats them. The tenant must keep the unit reasonably clean and safe and dispose of garbage in a reasonably clean and safe manner. Official code not freely readable online; text verified in the enacted acts (Act 1004 of 2007, Act 1052 of 2021) on the Arkansas Legislature site. |
| Heat | A functioning heating system is required only to the extent heating served the premises when the lease was signed (leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021). State law sets no minimum temperature. If heat fails, the tenant must give written notice; if the landlord does not fix it within 30 days and rent is current, the tenant may end the lease without penalty and get the deposit back. The tenant may not withhold rent. The standards do not apply to lease-to-purchase arrangements and are excused during acts of God, utility failures or similar force majeure events. |
| Air conditioning | A functioning air-conditioning system is required only if air conditioning served the premises when the lease was signed (leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021). There is no requirement to install AC and no maximum indoor temperature. The remedy is the same 30-day notice and lease termination as for heat. |
| Smoke and CO detectors | Arkansas's implied residential quality standards (for leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021) do not require the landlord to supply smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. Neither the law nor a lease may stop a tenant from correctly installing a battery-powered or plug-in smoke or CO detector at the tenant's own expense. If one is installed, the tenant alone is responsible for checking that it works, keeping it in working order, and paying for any damage from installing or removing it. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(e) |
Related questions
- Does a landlord have to fix mold?
- Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in a rental?
- Does a landlord have to provide heat?
- Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning?
Arkansas vs. neighboring states
| State | Mold | Pests & bed bugs | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | No statute — Arkansas has no mold disclosure or remediation law for rentals. Arkansas's implied residential quality standards (for leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021) require only running hot and cold water, electricity, potable water, code-compliant sewer and plumbing, a functioning roof and building envelope, and working heat and air conditioning if it served the unit when the lease was signed. Mold is not listed. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502 (added by Act 1052 of 2021) | No statute on pests or bed bugs. They are not among Arkansas's implied quality standards, so the lease and local codes govern who treats them. The tenant must keep the unit reasonably clean and safe and dispose of garbage in a reasonably clean and safe manner. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-17-502, 18-17-601(2)-(3) | A functioning heating system is required only to the extent heating served the premises when the lease was signed (leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021). State law sets no minimum temperature. If heat fails, the tenant must give written notice; if the landlord does not fix it within 30 days and rent is current, the tenant may end the lease without penalty and get the deposit back. The tenant may not withhold rent. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(a)(6), (d) |
| Louisiana | No statute — Louisiana has no mold disclosure or remediation law. The Civil Code's general lessor duties apply. The lessor must maintain the property in a condition suitable for its leased purpose, make all necessary repairs during the lease (except those the lessee is responsible for), and warrant that it is free of vices or defects that prevent its use, including defects that arise later and defects unknown to the lessor. If the lessor fails to repair within a reasonable time after demand, the lessee may repair and deduct reasonable costs. La. C.C. arts. 2682(2), 2691, 2696, 2697, 2694 | No statute — no state law specifically assigns pest or bed bug treatment or requires disclosure. Infestations are handled under the lessor's general duties to maintain the property in suitable condition, make necessary repairs, and warrant against vices and defects. The lessee must repair damage caused by their own fault or that of people on the premises with their consent. La. C.C. arts. 2682, 2691, 2692, 2696 | No statute — Louisiana law sets no minimum indoor temperature or heating season. If heating is part of the leased premises, the lessor's general duty to maintain the property in a condition suitable for its leased purpose and to make necessary repairs applies. La. C.C. arts. 2682, 2691 (Civil Code lease-obligation articles 2682-2698 checked) |
| Mississippi | No statute — Mississippi has no mold disclosure or remediation law. The landlord's general statutory duty applies: comply with building and housing codes that materially affect health and safety, and maintain the unit and its plumbing, heating and cooling systems in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded. There is no duty for defects caused by the tenant's deliberate or negligent acts. Tenants must tell the landlord about conditions that may cause damage. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23; § 89-8-25(g) | No statute — no state law assigns pest or bed bug treatment or requires disclosure. Pests are governed by the general duty to comply with health and safety housing codes and maintain the premises, and by the lease. Tenants must keep their part of the premises clean and safe and dispose of garbage properly. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1); § 89-8-25(a)-(b) | No minimum temperature or heating season is set by state law. A landlord must maintain the heating system in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded, unless the tenant's deliberate or negligent actions damaged it, and must comply with applicable housing codes. The lease decides whether a heating system is provided at all. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1)(b) |
| Missouri | No statute — Missouri has no mold disclosure or remediation law. Missouri courts recognize an implied warranty of habitability as case law, not statute. Local housing codes set specific standards. If a condition that detrimentally affects habitability or sanitation violates a local housing or building code, an eligible tenant may use the statutory repair-and-deduct remedy. To qualify, the tenant must have lived there 6 consecutive months, be current on rent, and have no uncured lease-violation notices. RSMo 441.234; RSMo ch. 441 and 535 (checked) | No statute — no state law assigns pest or bed bug treatment or requires disclosure. The lease, local housing codes and the case-law implied warranty of habitability govern. Where an infestation violates a local housing code, an eligible tenant may use the repair-and-deduct remedy. RSMo ch. 441 and 535 (checked); RSMo 441.234 | No statewide minimum temperature or heating season for rentals. Heat requirements come from local housing codes and the lease. By statute, in master-metered multi-unit buildings, the utility must post notice 5 days before shutting off heat-related service for the owner's nonpayment. Tenants may then petition for a receiver, and service may not be cut while the petition is pending. RSMo 441.650; ch. 441 (checked) |
| Oklahoma | No statute — general habitability/repair duty applies. Oklahoma has no mold disclosure, remediation or exposure-standard law for rentals; the landlord must 'make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the tenant's dwelling unit and premises in a fit and habitable condition.' 41 O.S. § 118(A)(2) | No statute — no bed-bug or pest-specific law. The landlord must keep the unit fit and habitable and (except single-family residences) keep common areas clean, safe and sanitary; the tenant must keep the occupied part of the premises as safe, clean and sanitary as its condition permits and dispose of garbage in a safe, clean and sanitary manner. 41 O.S. §§ 118(A)(1)-(2), 127(1)-(2) | Yes, except in single-family residences or where service comes through direct, independently metered utility connections to the unit: the landlord must supply 'reasonable heat' and running and hot water, and must keep landlord-supplied heating facilities in good and safe working order. No statewide minimum temperature or heating season. If the landlord willfully or negligently fails to supply heat, after written notice the tenant may terminate, procure heat and deduct the cost from rent, recover diminished rental value, or obtain substitute housing and be excused from rent. 41 O.S. §§ 118(A)(3), (A)(5), 121(C) |
| Tennessee | No statute — Tennessee's landlord-tenant law sets no mold disclosure or remediation rule. In counties covered by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, mold falls under the landlord's general duties to comply with building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety and to make all repairs needed to keep the premises fit and habitable. The tenant must keep the unit as clean and safe as when the tenant took possession. T.C.A. § 66-28-304(a); § 66-28-401 | No statute — no pest or bed-bug provision in the landlord-tenant law. In URLTA counties, infestations fall under the landlord's code-compliance and fit-and-habitable duties; the tenant must keep the unit clean and safe, dispose of garbage properly, and comply with tenant obligations under housing codes. T.C.A. § 66-28-304(a); § 66-28-401(1)-(3) | No minimum temperature or heating season in state law. In URLTA counties, heat is an 'essential service': if the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply it, the tenant, after written notice, may procure heat and deduct the actual reasonable cost from rent, recover damages for reduced rental value, or obtain substitute housing (rent excused) and recover its reasonable value plus attorney's fees. The remedy is unavailable if the tenant, family or guests caused the condition. T.C.A. § 66-28-502(a), (c); § 66-28-304(a)(1)-(2) |
| Texas | No landlord-tenant mold statute — Texas law sets no mold disclosure or mold-specific remediation duty for residential landlords. Mold is handled under the general duty to repair: after written notice from a tenant who is current on rent, the landlord must make a diligent effort to repair a condition that materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant. Separately, the Occupations Code licenses professional mold assessors and remediators; an owner of residential property with fewer than 10 units (or its employee) may do its own mold assessment or remediation without a license. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.052; Tex. Occ. Code ch. 1958 (Sec. 1958.102) | No statute — the Property Code has no pest or bed-bug provision (no disclosure, inspection or treatment rule). An infestation is treated under the general repair duty if it materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant and the tenant gave notice; the landlord has no duty to remedy conditions caused by the tenant, household or guests. Leases commonly allocate pest-control responsibility. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.052 (ch. 92 checked) | No statewide heat or minimum-temperature requirement. State law requires only a device supplying hot water of at least 120 degrees F. If the landlord agreed (expressly or impliedly) to furnish heating equipment that produces inadequate heat, and a local housing, building or health official has notified the landlord in writing that the lack of heat materially affects health or safety, the tenant may use the repair-and-deduct remedy if the landlord fails to repair within 3 days after the tenant's notice. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.052(a)(3)(B); 92.0561(d)(3)(C) |
City rules that may add to state law
More Arkansas rental law
- Arkansas Security Deposit Law
- Arkansas Eviction Laws
- Arkansas Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Arkansas
- Arkansas Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Arkansas Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Arkansas
- Squatters' Rights in Arkansas
- Arkansas Rental Fee Rules
- Arkansas Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Arkansas Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Arkansas Landlord Selling the House
- Arkansas Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Arkansas Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Arkansas landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Arkansas
Compare mold, pests, heat & ac in all 50 states and DC →
Arkansas Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules FAQ
Does a landlord have to fix mold in Arkansas?
No statute — Arkansas has no mold disclosure or remediation law for rentals. Arkansas's implied residential quality standards (for leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021) require only running hot and cold water, electricity, potable water, code-compliant sewer and plumbing, a functioning roof and building envelope, and working heat and air conditioning if it served the unit when the lease was signed. Mold is not listed. (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502 (added by Act 1052 of 2021))
Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in Arkansas?
No statute on pests or bed bugs. They are not among Arkansas's implied quality standards, so the lease and local codes govern who treats them. The tenant must keep the unit reasonably clean and safe and dispose of garbage in a reasonably clean and safe manner. (Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-17-502, 18-17-601(2)-(3))
Does a landlord have to provide heat in Arkansas?
A functioning heating system is required only to the extent heating served the premises when the lease was signed (leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021). State law sets no minimum temperature. If heat fails, the tenant must give written notice; if the landlord does not fix it within 30 days and rent is current, the tenant may end the lease without penalty and get the deposit back. The tenant may not withhold rent. (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(a)(6), (d))
Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning in Arkansas?
A functioning air-conditioning system is required only if air conditioning served the premises when the lease was signed (leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021). There is no requirement to install AC and no maximum indoor temperature. The remedy is the same 30-day notice and lease termination as for heat. (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(a)(6), (d))
Who is responsible for smoke detectors in a rental in Arkansas?
Arkansas's implied residential quality standards (for leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021) do not require the landlord to supply smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. Neither the law nor a lease may stop a tenant from correctly installing a battery-powered or plug-in smoke or CO detector at the tenant's own expense. If one is installed, the tenant alone is responsible for checking that it works, keeping it in working order, and paying for any damage from installing or removing it. (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(e))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.