A. The resident shall pay rent in accordance with the rental agreement. In the absence of an agreement, the resident shall pay as rent the fair rental value for the use of the premises and occupancy of the dwelling unit.

B. Rent is payable without demand or notice at the time and place agreed upon by the parties. Unless otherwise agreed, rent is payable at the dwelling unit. Unless otherwise agreed, periodic rent is payable at the beginning of any term of one month or less and otherwise in equal monthly installments at the beginning of each monthly period. The date of one month to the same date of the following month shall constitute a term of one month.

C. Unless the rental agreement fixes a definite term, the residency is week-to-week in the case of a person who pays weekly rent and in all other cases month-to-month.

D. If the rental agreement provides for the charging of a late fee, and if the resident does not pay rent in accordance with the rental agreement, the owner may charge the resident a late fee in an amount not to exceed ten percent of the total rent payment for each rental period that the resident is in default. To assess a late fee, the owner shall provide notice of the late fee charged no later than the last day of the next rental period immediately following the period in which the default occurred.

E. An owner may not assess a fee from the resident for occupancy of the dwelling unit by a reasonable number of guests for a reasonable length of time. This shall not preclude charges for use of premises or facilities other than the dwelling unit by guests.

F. An owner may increase the rent payable by the resident in a month-to-month residency by providing written notice to the resident of the proposed increase at least thirty days prior to the periodic rental date specified in the rental agreement or, in the case of a fixed term residency, at least thirty days prior to the end of the term. In the case of a periodic residency of less than one month, written notice shall be provided at least one rental period in advance of the first rental payment to be increased.

G. Unless agreed upon in writing by the owner and the resident, a resident's payment of rent may not be allocated to any deposits or damages.

History: 1953 Comp., § 70-7-15, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 38, § 15; 1995, ch. 195, § 6.

The 1995 amendment, effective July 1, 1995, inserted "the" preceding "case" in Subsection C, and added Subsections D to G.

Notice of late fees required. — Landlords failed to give notice of late fees in any month in which they claimed they intended to collect late fees; as such, the trial court did not err in ruling that the landlords were not entitled to collect late fees because they did not comply with the New Mexico Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act. Hedicke v. Gunville, 2003-NMCA-032, 133 N.M. 335, 62 P.3d 1217, cert. denied, 133 N.M. 413, 63 P.3d 516.

Law reviews. — For survey, "The Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act," see 6 N.M.L. Rev. 293 (1976).

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 49 Am. Jur. 2d Landlord and Tenant § 711 et seq.

Inability to obtain license, permit, or charter required for tenant's business as defense to enforcement of lease, 89 A.L.R.3d 329.

52 C.J.S Landlord and Tenant §§ 534 to 546.