Mobile home lot rent rules in Arkansas

Arkansas is unusual: it has no dedicated mobile home park statute and no rent control of any kind. A lot tenancy in a mobile home park is governed by the general Arkansas Residential Landlord-Tenant Act of 2007 (Title 18, Chapter 17 of the Arkansas Code), which is widely regarded as one of the most landlord-favorable landlord-tenant laws in the country. What follows describes how that general law treats rent; because Arkansas offers no mobile-home-specific rent protections, a specific increase is best reviewed with a licensed attorney in Arkansas.

What the statute says

The controlling section for rent is Arkansas Code §18-17-401, "Terms and conditions of rental agreement." It leaves rent to the agreement:

A landlord and a tenant may include in a rental agreement terms and conditions not prohibited by this chapter or other rule of law, including, but not limited to, rent, term of the agreement, and other provisions governing the rights and obligations of the parties.

If the agreement does not fix a definite term, the statute makes the tenancy month-to-month: "Unless the rental agreement fixes a definite term, the tenancy is week to week in case of a roomer who pays weekly rent and in all other cases month to month."

For ending a month-to-month tenancy, Arkansas Code §18-17-704(b) provides:

The landlord or the tenant may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by a written notice given to the other at least thirty (30) days before the termination date specified in the notice.

How it works in general

Because there is no cap and no mobile-home-specific increase-notice law, the rental agreement controls the rent. Where a lot tenancy is month-to-month, a landlord that wants to raise the rent generally must end the current tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice under §18-17-704(b) and offer new terms; a tenant who does not accept the new rent would have to move. A fixed-term written lease controls the rent for its term, and any increase mechanism would come from the lease itself. None of this is a price limit — it is simply the notice framework.

Common scenarios

General examples Arkansas park residents commonly encounter:

• A notice raises the lot rent. With no statutory cap, the key questions are what the written agreement says and, for a month-to-month tenancy, whether at least 30 days' written notice was given under §18-17-704(b).
• A resident expects a special "rent increase notice." Arkansas has none specific to mobile homes; the 30-day termination notice for month-to-month tenancies is the closest general requirement.
• A resident looks for a state cap or rent board. There is no rent control in Arkansas, so there is no agency that limits the amount.

Other authorities that may apply

The written rental agreement supplies the actual rent and any increase terms, and the broader Residential Landlord-Tenant Act of 2007 governs the tenancy. Federal laws such as the Fair Housing Act can apply to how increases are administered. Local ordinances generally cannot impose rent control either. Reading the agreement closely is the most important step in Arkansas.