Tenant Rights and Responsibilities When Renting in Nevada

In Nevada, tenants have several key rights including: the right to a habitable dwelling, protection against unlawful discrimination, proper notice before landlord entry (typically 24 hours), security deposit protection (cannot exceed 3 months' rent), and protection against retaliation. Nevada law (NRS Chapter 118A) also provides tenants with specific remedies if landlords fail to make necessary repairs or violate lease terms.

In Nevada, for month-to-month tenancies, landlords must provide at least 45 days' written notice before increasing rent. For weekly tenancies, 15 days' notice is required. For fixed-term leases, rent generally cannot be increased until the lease term ends, unless the lease specifically allows for it. There are no rent control laws in Nevada, so there is no limit on how much a landlord can increase rent.

Nevada law does not set a specific limit on security deposit amounts, but it's common practice not to exceed two months' rent. Landlords must return security deposits within 30 days after the tenant moves out. The landlord must provide an itemized list of any deductions taken from the deposit. If the landlord fails to return the deposit or provide an itemization within 30 days, the tenant may be entitled to recover the entire deposit amount.

For month-to-month tenancies in Nevada, tenants must provide at least 30 days' written notice before moving out. For weekly tenancies, 7 days' notice is required. If you have a fixed-term lease, you generally don't need to give notice if you're leaving when the lease ends. However, your lease may have specific requirements about providing notice of non-renewal, so check your lease terms carefully.

In Nevada, landlords must provide at least 24 hours' notice before entering a rental property for non-emergency reasons such as repairs, inspections, or showing the unit to prospective tenants. The landlord may enter without notice in emergencies. Entry should be during reasonable hours unless otherwise agreed. If a landlord repeatedly enters without proper notice, this may constitute harassment, and tenants can seek legal remedies.

Nevada landlords must make repairs within a reasonable time after receiving notice from the tenant. For essential services (heat, water, electricity), this is typically 48 hours. For non-essential repairs, a reasonable time is generally considered to be 14 days. If the landlord fails to make necessary repairs, tenants may have the right to repair and deduct the cost from rent, withhold rent, or in extreme cases, terminate the lease, but specific procedures must be followed.

For month-to-month tenancies in Nevada, landlords can terminate without cause by providing 30 days' written notice (7 days for weekly tenancies). However, for fixed-term leases, landlords cannot evict without cause before the lease ends unless the tenant violates lease terms. Landlords cannot evict as retaliation or discrimination. All evictions must follow proper legal procedures, including court filings, and self-help evictions (changing locks, removing belongings, etc.) are illegal.

If your Nevada landlord isn't maintaining the property, first notify them in writing about the issue and keep a copy. If they don't respond within a reasonable time (typically 14 days for non-essential repairs), you may have several options: 1) repair and deduct (up to one month's rent), 2) withhold rent (following specific procedures), 3) sue for damages, or 4) terminate the lease if the issue makes the unit uninhabitable. Document everything with photos, written communications, and receipts.

Nevada law requires landlords to maintain air conditioning in working order if the unit was rented with this amenity. During extreme heat, lack of functioning air conditioning may be considered an emergency repair issue, requiring landlord attention within 48 hours. If the landlord fails to repair essential cooling systems during extreme heat, tenants may have grounds for expedited remedies, including temporary alternative housing. Document all communications about cooling system failures, especially during heat advisories.