About Montana Landlord & Tenant Rights
The rights of landlords and tenants are set by their specific rental agreements and by the Montana Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. An unsigned agreement is still valid, if the tenant pays the rent or the landlord accepts it.
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Security Deposits
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A landlord must give tenants a written statement describing the condition of the property at the time they start renting, or he can't keep any of the security deposit for damages unless he can prove damage was caused by the tenants.
Health and Safety
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A landlord must make sure that all electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning systems work safely and that the rental unit complies with state and local building and housing codes. The landlord must provide working smoke detectors, which tenants must maintain. A landlord must keep common areas reasonably clean and safe. Tenants must keep their units clean and properly dispose of garbage.
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Entering
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A landlord may enter for repairs, inspection or alterations to the property, but must give tenants at least 24 hours notice. Tenants can't unreasonably withhold consent. In an emergency, a landlord may enter immediately without consent.
Repairs
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Tenants must give written notice when something needs to be repaired. The landlord must make repairs within 14 days if the condition affects health and safety. The landlord must make emergency repairs within three working days.
Prohibitions
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A landlord can't lock tenants out of their unit, shut the utilities off if they're behind on the rent or to force tenants to move.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit apartment lease sign image by Aaron Kohr from Fotolia.com
