Housing Laws

If you or a member of your household are a victim of domestic violence (as defined by law), the landlord of your apartment/house cannot do any of the following because of the domestic abuse:

• refuse to enter into a tenancy agreement with you;
• fail to renew your tenancy;
• terminate your tenancy; or
• otherwise retaliate against you when leasing a residence to you.¹

Also, if you request it, you (the tenant/victim of domestic abuse), another tenant (as long as s/he is not the abuser), or your landlord can change the locks of your apartment/house. However, you have to pay for the cost, get your landlord’s approval beforehand, and give the landlord a copy of the key to the new lock.²

Lastly, under this law, your landlord cannot ask you to give up your right to call law enforcement for help during your tenancy. The law prohibits a landlord from trying to put this type of request in your lease.³

¹ Ark. Code § 18-16-112(b)(1)
² Ark. Code § 18-16-112(b)(2)(A), (b)(2)(B)
³ Ark. Code § 18-16-112(f)