What do Alaska landlord tenant laws say about repairs, entry and deposits?

Alaska landlord tenant hours and days, with sources

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What repairs is a landlord responsible for in Alaska?

Section 34.03.100(a) (read 29 October 2026) opens the landlord's list of duties: “(a) The landlord shall (1) make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition;” (Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.100)

Under 34.03.100(a)(3) the landlord shall maintain in good and safe working order and condition the electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, kitchen and other facilities and appliances, including elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord. Section 34.03.100(b) says a landlord of a single family residence in an undeveloped rural area, or where public sewer or water service has never been connected, is not liable for a breach of (a)(3) or (5) if the unit began the rental agreement without running water, hot water, sewage or sanitary facilities from a private system.

Section 34.03.100(c) lets the landlord and tenant of a one- or two-family residence agree in writing that the tenant perform the landlord's duties specified in (a)(4), (5), (6), and (7), only if the transaction is entered into in good faith and not for the purpose of evading the obligations of the landlord, who otherwise is to make all repairs under 34.03.100(a).

When a plumbing, heating or appliance repair in an Alaska rental needs a contractor, a property manager can post the job on InstaBids and get written bids.

How long does a landlord have to make repairs in Alaska?

Section 34.03.160(a) (read 29 October 2026) ties the time to the tenant's written notice, for a material noncompliance by the landlord or a noncompliance with 34.03.100 materially affecting health and safety: “Except as provided in this chapter, if there is a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or a noncompliance with AS 34.03.100 materially affecting health and safety, the tenant may deliver a written notice to the landlord specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach and specifying that the rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than 20 days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied in 10 days, and the rental agreement shall terminate as provided in the notice subject to the provisions of this section.” (Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.160)

So for a noncompliance materially affecting health and safety, the landlord has the 10 days in that written notice to remedy the breach, and the termination date the notice names is not less than 20 days after receipt of the notice.

Under the same subsection, if the breach is remediable by repairs or the payment of damages or otherwise and the landlord remedies the breach before the date specified in the notice, the rental agreement will not terminate.

Once a tenant's written repair request comes in, a property manager can post that repair on InstaBids and compare written bids from contractors side by side.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering in Alaska?

Section 34.03.140(c), read 29 October 2026: “Except in case of emergency or if it is impracticable to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant at least 24 hours notice of intention to enter and may enter only at reasonable times and with the tenant's consent.” (Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.140)

The emergency case is 34.03.140(b): "The landlord may enter the dwelling unit without the consent of the tenant in the case of emergency."

For a repair that needs a visit inside an occupied unit, a property manager can describe the job on InstaBids and pick a contractor before arranging entry with the tenant.

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Alaska?

Section 34.03.070(g) (read 29 October 2026) sets 14 days where the landlord or tenant gives notice that complies with 34.03.290, for rental units other than those where the rent exceeds the amount in 34.03.070(a): “If the landlord or tenant gives notice that complies with AS 34.03.290 , the landlord shall mail the written notice and refund required by (b) of this section within 14 days after the tenancy is terminated and possession is delivered by the tenant, except the landlord shall have 30 days after the tenancy is terminated to mail the refund if costs are deducted for damages that the landlord has suffered because of the tenant's noncompliance with AS 34.03.120 .” (Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.070)

If the tenant does not give notice that complies with 34.03.290, the landlord shall mail the written notice and refund within 30 days after the tenancy is terminated, possession is delivered, or the landlord becomes aware that the dwelling unit is abandoned, for rental units other than those where the rent exceeds the 34.03.070(a) amount.

Except as provided in 34.03.070(h) for a tenant's pet other than a service animal, a landlord may not demand or receive prepaid rent or a security deposit in excess of two months' periodic rent (34.03.070(a)), and that subsection keeps section 34.03.070 to rental units other than those where the rent exceeds the amount it names.

For move-out cleaning and repairs on an Alaska unit before the deposit is settled, a property manager can post the work on InstaBids and get written bids.

When can a tenant end a lease over repairs in Alaska?

Section 34.03.160(a) (read 29 October 2026) lets the tenant deliver a written notice for a material noncompliance by the landlord or a noncompliance with 34.03.100 materially affecting health and safety, naming a termination date not less than 20 days after receipt of the notice, and the rental agreement ends then if a breach materially affecting health and safety is not remedied in 10 days.

For a noncompliance materially affecting health and safety, the same subsection also reads: "The tenant may not terminate for a condition caused by the deliberate or negligent act or omission of the tenant, a member of the tenant's family, or other person on the premises with the tenant's consent."

For a health and safety repair, such as a failed water heater or a damaged roof, a property manager can post the job on InstaBids and get written bids.

When can a tenant withhold rent over repairs in Alaska?

Section 34.03.180(a) (read 29 October 2026) opens with the deduct case, where the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply an essential service: “(a) If, contrary to the rental agreement or AS 34.03.100 , the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply running water, hot water, heat, sanitary facilities, or other essential services, the tenant may give written notice to the landlord specifying the breach and may immediately (1) procure reasonable amounts of hot water, running water, heat, sanitary facilities, and essential services during the period of the landlord's noncompliance and deduct their actual and reasonable cost from the rent;” (Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.180)

Where the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply them and the tenant has given written notice (34.03.180(c)), 34.03.180(a) gives the tenant three options: procure them and deduct their actual and reasonable cost from the rent, recover damages based on the diminution in the fair rental value of the dwelling unit, or procure reasonable substitute housing and be excused from paying rent for the period of the landlord's noncompliance.

Under 34.03.180(c) the right to procure the services and deduct their actual and reasonable cost does not arise until the tenant has given written notice to the landlord of the deliberately or negligently unsupplied service, and under 34.03.180(b) a tenant who proceeds under 34.03.180 to deduct their actual and reasonable cost may not proceed under 34.03.160 as to that breach.

When an essential service like heat, running water or electricity goes out, a property manager can post the repair job on InstaBids with photos and get written bids.

Who does Alaska landlord tenant law cover?

Section 34.03.330(a), read 29 October 2026: “(a) This chapter applies to and determines rights, obligations and remedies under a rental agreement, wherever made, for a dwelling unit in this state.” (Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.330)

Under 34.03.330(b), unless created to avoid the application of this chapter, it does not govern transient occupancy in a hotel, motel, lodgings or other transient facility; occupancy by an employee of a landlord whose right to occupancy is conditioned upon employment substantially for services, maintenance, or repair to the premises; or occupancy by an owner of a condominium unit or a holder of a proprietary lease in a cooperative, among the eight arrangements 34.03.330(b) lists.

Whether the property is a rented house or an apartment building, a property manager can post its repair and upkeep jobs on InstaBids and get written bids.

Alaska AS 34.03 rules a property manager works to

What to put in a written repair scope for an Alaska rental

• The date the landlord received the tenant's written notice under 34.03.160(a) of a breach materially affecting health and safety, and the 10 days it gives to remedy the breach.
• For a facility repair: which electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, kitchen or other facility or appliance supplied by the landlord is to be kept in good and safe working order (34.03.100(a)(3)), and for a single family residence whether 34.03.100(b) reaches it.
• The entry window: the landlord's at least 24 hours notice of intention to enter, at reasonable times and with the tenant's consent, except in case of emergency or if it is impracticable (34.03.140(c)).
• Accrued rent and damages itemized by the landlord for the written notice mailed to the tenant's last known address (34.03.070(b)), for rental units other than those where the rent exceeds the 34.03.070(a) amount.
• For running water, hot water, heat or sanitary facilities the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply: the date of the tenant's written notice, since 34.03.180(c) rights do not arise until it is given.

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Calling contractors one by one, or one written scope?

Calling contractors one by one gets each one's own idea of the repair. With one written scope, you describe it once, contractors bid in writing on that scope, and you choose who gets your number.

Property managers can post a rental job on InstaBids today.

How InstaBids works

Related answers on other pages

• Who pays for a repair, the landlord or the tenant, is answered on its own page. Who pays for repairs in a rental?

Sources

• Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.160, read 2026-10-29: www.akleg.gov
• Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.070, read 2026-10-29: www.akleg.gov
• Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.140, read 2026-10-29: www.akleg.gov
• Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.180, read 2026-10-29: www.akleg.gov
• Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.100, read 2026-10-29: www.akleg.gov
• Alaska Statutes AS 34.03.330, read 2026-10-29: www.akleg.gov