Overview of Landlord-Tenant Laws in Tennessee

Both landlords and tenants should be able to deal with many legal questions and problems without a lawyer, once they understand the basics of state law. This overview of key landlord-tenant laws in Tennessee will get you started.

Required Landlord Disclosures in Tennessee

Under Tennessee law, landlords must disclose specific information to tenants (usually in the lease or rental agreement), such as the identity of anyone authorized to act on the landlord's behalf and whether the landlord may enter to show the premises to prospective renters during the last 30 days of the tenancy.

Tennessee Security Deposit Limit and Return

Tennessee state law does not limit how much a landlord can charge for a security deposit. However, it does limit when it must be returned (within 30 days after a tenant moves) and sets other restrictions on deposits.

Small Claims Lawsuits in Tennessee

Tenants can sue landlords in General Sessions Court for the return of their deposit, up to a dollar amount of $25,000. There is no limit in eviction suits.

Tennessee Late Fees and Other Rent Rules

State law regulates several rent-related issues, including late fees, and how much time a tenant has to pay rent (14 days in Tennessee) and move (16 days) before a landlord can file for eviction.

Tenant Rights to Withhold Rent in Tennessee

Tenants may withhold rent or exercise the right to "repair and deduct" if a landlord fails to take care of important repairs, such as a broken heater.

Tennessee Termination and Eviction Rules

State laws specify when and how a landlord may terminate a tenancy. For example, a landlord may give a Tennessee tenant who has repeated an act that violates the lease or rental agreement or affects health and safety twice within six months (notice must have been given for the first violation) an unconditional quit notice that gives the tenant 14 days to move out before the landlord can file for eviction. See State Laws on Unconditional Quit Terminations and State Laws on Termination for Violation of Lease for details on these types of termination notices in Tennessee.

Landlord Access to Rental Property, Tenant Protection Against Retaliation, and Other State Laws in Tennessee

Several other landlord-tenant laws in Tennessee affect both property owners and renters, including:

• tenant protections against landlord retaliation for tenant exercising a legal right, such as complaining about an unsafe living condition
• procedures for how landlords must handle abandoned property left behind by tenants, and
• fair housing rights (discrimination is also prohibited by federal and, often, local law—see the Housing Discrimination section of the Nolo site for details).

Where to Find Tennessee Landlord-Tenant Statutes

If you want to read the text of a law itself, such as state security deposit rules, you'll find citations in many of the articles and charts included in the State Landlord-Tenant Laws section of the Nolo site. To access the statutes, visit the state courts' website.

If you just want to browse through the Tennessee landlord-tenant law, you can find state statutes at Tenn. Code §§ 66-28-101 to 66-28-521. You can search the table of contents for the landlord-tenant statutes. Or, if you don't know the exact statute number, you can enter a keyword that is likely to be in it, such as "nonpayment of rent."

Local Ordinances Affecting Tennessee Landlords and Tenants

Cities and counties often pass local ordinances, such as health and safety standards, noise and nuisance regulations, and antidiscrimination rules that affect landlords and tenants. Many municipalities have websites —just search for the name of a particular city in Tennessee and then do a search when you're on the site.

Municode is a good source for finding local governments online. Also, your local public library or office of the city attorney, mayor, or city or county manager can provide information on local ordinances that affect landlords and tenants in Tennessee.

Federal Landlord-Tenant Laws and Regulations

While most landlords and tenants will primarily be concerned with state law in Tennessee, several federal laws come into play. Congress has enacted laws, and federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have adopted regulations, covering discrimination and landlord responsibilities to disclose environmental health hazards, such as lead-based paint.

The U.S. Code is the starting place for most federal statutory research. It consists of 50 separate numbered titles, each covering a specific subject matter. Most federal regulations are published in the Code of Federal Regulations ("CFR"), also organized by subject into 50 separate titles.

To access the U.S. Code and Code of Federal Regulations online, see Nolo's Federal Law Resources page. Also, the Cornell Legal Information Institute provides the entire U.S. Code as well as the Code of Federal Regulations. Finally, check USA.gov, the official U.S. website for government information.

Nolo Resources on Legal Research and Landlord-Tenant Law

Nolo's Laws and Legal Research page includes links to state and federal laws, explains how to research and understand statutes, and provides advice on finding local ordinances and court cases, including Supreme Court cases. To go further, check out Legal Research: How to Find & Understand the Law, by Stephen Elias and the Editors of Nolo (Nolo). This nontechnical book gives easy-to-use, step-by-step instructions on how to find legal information.

You'll also find a wealth of information in the Landlords and Renters' Rights sections of the Nolo website and Nolo books, such as Every Landlord's Legal Guide and Every Tenant's Legal Guide.