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Alabama room rental agreement
Written for Alabama law, checked October 1, 2026 General information, not legal advice
Rentari offers a general room-rental agreement form, but it is not tailored to Alabama or every local rule. Review the room, shared spaces, occupancy requirements, and applicable Alabama and city rules before using a form. The state table below covers selected deposit and entry rules, not every room-rental requirement.
Alabama rules that apply
- Security deposit limit
- 1 month's rent
- except for pets, changes to the premises or added liability risks
- Ala. Code § 35-9A-201(a)
Security deposit limit
You may not demand or receive more than one month's periodic rent as security for the tenant's obligations under the lease. The limit does not cover security taken for pets, for changes to the premises, or for increased liability risks to you or the premises.
More detail (3)
- At the end of the tenancy, security may be applied to accrued rent and to damage the tenant caused by failing to meet the tenant duties in the Act, all itemized in a written notice. Ala. Code § 35-9A-201(b) Ala. Code § 35-9A-301
- A lease term in which the tenant waives the Act's security deposit requirements is unenforceable. If you knowingly try to enforce a prohibited term, the tenant may recover actual damages plus up to one month's periodic rent and reasonable attorney's fees. Ala. Code § 35-9A-163(a)(1), (b)
- If you sell the property in a good faith sale, you stay liable to the tenant for the security the tenant can recover and for all prepaid rent. Ala. Code § 35-9A-205(a)
The Rentari Alabama lease states the deposit amount and the one-month limit with its three exceptions.
Landlord entry
Give the tenant at least two days' notice of your intent to enter and enter only at reasonable times, unless one of the section's exceptions applies or notice is impracticable. A note posted on the primary entry door stating the intended time and purpose of the entry is a permitted way to give notice. The tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to entry to inspect, make necessary or agreed repairs or improvements, supply services, or show the unit to buyers, lenders, tenants, workers or contractors.
Ala. Code § 35-9A-303(a), (c)
More detail (6)
- You may enter without the tenant's consent in an emergency, under a court order, to fix a tenant's failure to maintain that materially affects health and safety after the tenant does not remedy it within seven days of your written notice, during a tenant absence of more than 14 days, and when you reasonably believe the tenant has abandoned or surrendered the unit. Ala. Code § 35-9A-303(b) Ala. Code § 35-9A-422 Ala. Code § 35-9A-423(b)
- To show the unit to a prospective tenant or buyer without consent, you must have given the tenant a general notice of that right, separate from the lease and signed by the tenant, and you may use it only within four months before the lease expires, at reasonable times, with the two days' notice, and only in the company of the prospect. Ala. Code § 35-9A-303(b)(4)
- A general notice or advance schedule, given separately from the lease more than two days ahead, for repairs, maintenance, pest control or health and safety service needs no further notice. The tenant may agree to shorter notice, and a tenant who asks for repairs or maintenance is treated as consenting to entry to do that work. Ala. Code § 35-9A-303(d), (e)
- A lease may require the tenant to tell you of an expected absence of more than 14 days no later than the fifth day of the absence, and you may recover actual damages if the tenant willfully fails to. Ala. Code § 35-9A-304 Ala. Code § 35-9A-423(a)
- Do not abuse the right of access or use it to harass. For an unlawful or unreasonable entry, or harassing demands for entry, the tenant may get an injunction or end the lease on the landlord-breach notice, and recover actual damages. Ala. Code § 35-9A-303(c) Ala. Code § 35-9A-442(b)
- If the tenant refuses lawful access, you may get an injunction to compel access or end the lease on a notice to terminate, and recover actual damages. Ala. Code § 35-9A-442(a)
The Rentari Alabama lease requires at least two days' notice (more if you set more), allows notice by a note on the primary entry door, and restates the separate schedule, consent and abuse of access rules.