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🏠 Housing & Rent

Eviction, landlord disputes, deposits, repairs

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My landlord will not return my deposit

Deposit protections have coverage exceptions. Confirm applicability and timing before choosing a claim.

No personal case facts or dates are requested or stored by this selector.
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Qualifications & requirements

Source-backed qualifications and preparation information for all 15 topics, usable across all 75 Arkansas counties with the existing county routes. This is partial coverage, not an eligibility decision. Current income limits, program exceptions, local intake, funding and individual facts require confirmation. No professional legal review is recorded.

No specific qualifications profile is mapped to this situation yet. Use the linked program or receiving office to confirm eligibility, documents and exceptions before applying.

Forms, timing and where to file

Check that this filing path fits your actual papers and your role.

Match the procedure, your role and the actual papers before using a period or form. No personal due date is calculated. Current rules, service, exceptions and local filing requirements need confirmation.

Request a deposit accounting and assess a money claim

Your next steps

  1. Send a documented request for the deposit accounting or disputed refund to the landlord.
  2. Compare the lease, receipts, move-out condition and itemized deductions.
  3. If unresolved, verify small-claims or civil jurisdiction, amount and venue before preparing a complaint.
  4. Obtain the district clerk's current complaint, filing and service instructions and retain accepted copies.

What forms or applications do I need?

How much time do I have, and when must I file?

Check the actual notice and governing rule

Period: Use the actual published notice and current applicable rule.

What starts the clock: Tenancy termination, possession delivery and receipt of the landlord's accounting or court papers

What to do: Read the response and hearing instructions immediately; obtain individual advice where requirements conflict.

Exceptions and checks: Different case types and remedies have different periods; do not infer an ordinary answer period.

Authority: Actual notice/order and current applicable law · Arkansas AG landlord and tenant rights ↗

Where and how do I file?

Receiving office: Landlord for accounting; district civil/small-claims clerk if the actual claim qualifies

Submission method: Documented landlord demand; clerk-confirmed court filing and separate service.

Jurisdiction and venue: Determine court and venue from the claim, defendant and tenancy; do not assume the former rental county is always the only venue.

Local check: For all 75 Arkansas counties, confirm the actual receiving office and venue before filing. County of residence alone does not establish jurisdiction. Confirm current hours, accepted delivery, electronic access, fees or waiver options, and proof of acceptance or service.

Locate the responsible district court; county alone does not choose the court ↗

Before you submit: Verify signatures, attachments, current form edition, fees or fee-waiver process, service requirements, and whether the office must receive or accept the filing by the deadline. Keep the accepted copy or receipt and follow up on rejected submissions. A referral or phone call does not extend a separate deadline.

Limits: Not every landlord or tenancy falls within identical deposit provisions; no automatic damage amount is promised.

Official sources and capture status
agency_guidance · statewide

Arkansas AG landlord and tenant rights ↗

Distinguish possession routes, notices and deposit requirements.

Agency summary; actual case papers and current law control.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: f768d21aa8691281978ac65a77150d6e5cca2ff60c6a3f8d1a0251ea27876825

official_directory · statewide

District court directory ↗

Locate district civil or small-claims filing contacts.

Confirm subject matter, amount and venue first.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: 01fda1166b1c1b780b1dfe89a3dc063157621ce3b48c1f6c07277d1648e9e803

agency_guidance · statewide

Arkansas Judiciary district courts ↗

Confirm district subject-matter distinctions.

Small-claims and civil divisions differ; do not file every injury or land-possession case here.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: b2faa5536f39c8f7dc594a9d6472dbec0d3d20ec629242d0890d10bc0aea94b1

What to do next

  1. Record the move-out date and the forwarding address you provided.
  2. Collect the deposit receipt, lease, inspection photos and any deductions or accounting.
  3. Ask legal aid about applicable deposit protections and whether a written demand or court claim is appropriate.
  4. Prepare to ask: Is this a private lease, subsidized tenancy, mortgage, or housing-program decision?
  5. Create an item-by-item comparison of the deposit paid, deductions claimed and move-out condition.
  6. Request the landlord's accounting and preserve the address and delivery details used for deposit correspondence.
  7. Ask legal aid about applicable landlord coverage and the appropriate court before filing a money claim.

How this process works

Who handles this issue

The landlord receives the deposit demand; an appropriate court decides an unresolved claim after venue and jurisdiction are checked.

Before you start

Identify who held the deposit, the tenancy type and the move-out facts.

Filing or application route

Send a factual written accounting or repayment request through a documented route; obtain advice before any court claim.

What happens next

Review the landlord's response and preserve each disputed deduction and supporting record.

When to get qualified help

Get legal help with coverage exceptions, a counterclaim or a filed case; no automatic recovery or deadline is promised.

Confirm for your county

Available in every Arkansas county. Confirm the actual case's court or responsible office and its accepted filing, service and hearing methods; the selected county is context, not a verified local procedural rule.

Choose the path that fits

  • Which deposit rules cover this landlord and tenancy?
  • What amounts and reasons were provided in the accounting?

Check these points in the source

Documents to gather

Keep originals secure. Use copies and redact sensitive details when sharing.

Checks are temporary and reset when this page is reloaded.

Questions to ask before acting

  • Which deposit rules cover this landlord and tenancy?
  • What amounts and reasons were provided in the accounting?
  • Can I document the condition before and after occupancy?
  • Which court and service process fit the actual claim?
  • What is the response method and deadline in my actual papers, and can I request language help, disability access or a fee waiver?

Arkansas rental rules differ by issue and housing program. Review the lease, notice, applicable law and court papers before acting.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Do not assume every landlord is covered by the same deposit provisions.
  • Do not rely solely on undated photographs.
  • Do not assume an AG complaint files a court claim.

Before filing, applying or traveling in Arkansas

  • Identify the actual court, division, agency or provider from your papers. Your home county alone may not determine the correct venue or office.
  • Confirm accepted submission methods, current forms, required attachments, fees or waiver options, and any separate service or notice requirement with the responsible office.
  • Read the dates and instructions on the actual notice. Keep delivery records, accepted submission receipts and the next appointment or hearing information.
  • Ask early about an interpreter, disability accommodations, a safe contact method, remote participation or travel needs. Confirm who receives the request.
  • For representation, ask about issue coverage, income rules, conflicts and intake capacity. A referral or application does not mean a lawyer has accepted the case.

Official court directories · Court form catalog · Electronic filing instructions · Court language access · Arkansas Legal Aid intake

These shared checks apply across all 75 counties. They are preparation questions, not confirmation of a particular local procedure. Court filing and agency applications use separate systems.
Shared source capture status

https://arcourts.gov/directories: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

SHA-256: 150f4f042f9e715659d03ae5bff81fa0fb097795310f7714c110f42e9eb18d92

https://arcourts.gov/forms-and-publications/court-forms: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

SHA-256: 1aa02064191b7b0185cb3f4f599da0dd509ca3c58e1f53d4585429a5f039ff29

https://arcourts.gov/administration/acap/efile/efile-instructions: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

SHA-256: de780b7949c7991de59fa33f46c7de7ca4394ed34a79d3d068d4761c887ba4ea

https://arcourts.gov/administration/interpreters: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

SHA-256: f39d6c3a846022b093f3f49d51bf474e4c8d54f43ae231257b8c4c0d9c85fe1e

https://arlegalaid.org/: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

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Captured pages support navigation and source checking. They do not establish legal review or current intake.

Resources for this situation

Official agency · Arkansas statewide

Arkansas Attorney General: landlord and tenant information ↗

Start reviewing Arkansas rental issues, then check applicable law and your actual lease.

Agency overview, not complete law. Subsidized housing and particular facts can change the rules.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: 32b9f4efc64760167ac5f8cf9ad6cd29458f4b2e3af605ddea6626f9c0131585

Nonprofit legal service · Arkansas statewide

Legal Aid of Arkansas intake ↗

Request screening for civil legal assistance or referral.

Intake determines geographic coverage, income, case priorities, conflicts and capacity; representation is not guaranteed.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: 59ba4e12e169963f93936f278fbce347157dfda5d7ba4a6777329253de5fb822

Nonprofit legal information · Arkansas statewide

Arkansas Law Help ↗

Read Arkansas self-help information and find civil legal-aid application routes.

Self-help information is not representation. Legal-aid intake screens eligibility, case priorities and capacity.

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Official agency · Arkansas statewide

Arkansas district court directory ↗

Locate district courts for traffic, small claims and other matters within their jurisdiction.

Confirm current instructions, eligibility, jurisdiction and availability directly.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: 8f1d469b0ce7a11c9cb1c93c3e986a9a65864b2e35009006375467150bbda757

General legal information and navigation, not legal advice. No deadline, eligibility, representation or outcome is determined here. Check current official instructions and your actual papers. Editorial guidance date: 2026-10-12. Draft navigation content; not professionally reviewed.

General legal information and navigation, not legal advice. No deadline, eligibility, representation or outcome is determined here. Check current official instructions and your actual papers.