Arkansas renters still seeking increase in renter rights

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — One in three people in Arkansas relies on renting as their housing, but the state has some of the fewest laws in support of the tenant.

There are even fewer laws when it comes to terminating a lease agreement.

Organizer for Arkansas Renters United, Billy Cook, said this has been a problem in the state for quite some time.

“Tenants in Arkansas, notoriously, have few rights around specific things, especially like breaking your lease before the end of the term. Up until a few years ago, there was no meaningful way to do that,” Cook said.

According to state law, one of the only ways a renter can get out of a lease is if a maintenance request is not fulfilled within 30 days. However, when it comes to other aspects, a tenant is still on the hook.

“That is a major shortcoming, because where we have situations like this where people feel as though they can no longer inhabit a place they are without any recourse because the law does not allow you to simply break your lease for feeling unsafe,” Cook said.

That is the case for Clay Simpson and his family, who live at the Cliffs Apartments in Fayetteville.

On September 7, there was a police shootout at the complex that ended with the suspect being killed. Simpson lives in the same building as the alleged gunman.

Now, almost a month later, Simpson is trying to move his family out of the complex due to safety concerns, but is being met with hefty fines due to breaking his lease.

“We just don’t feel safe in this community anymore. We would like to leave. They let us know that they weren’t going to catch us any breaks that we would be in violation of the lease agreement,” Simpson said.

According to Simpson, the complex is threatening to keep his security deposit and charge him three months’ rent, which comes out to around $3,300.

Due to the way the law is set up, there is nothing legally Simpson and his family can do despite feeling unsafe in their living situation.

However, Cook said there are some resources someone in Simpson’s position can use to get out of a lease.

“There are a variety of area churches and nonprofits that provide direct financial assistance in the form of rental assistance or utility assistance, or deposit assistance,” Cook said. “Though all of those are usually first-come, first-served and can only have limited capacity.”

KNWA/FOX24 reached out to the Cliffs Apartment complex and were met with a hand-written letter reading in part:

“At the cliffs or any other Lindsey Management Company-managed property, we consider our residents our number one priority and evident of our extremely low vacancy. Mr. Lindsey has put together the best group of property managers in the country. We value each and every resident we have, and we hope to have long-term relationship with each resident.”

Simpson claimed he and his family have done everything possible to get out of the lease, but are still being met with no way out.