The Georgia rental agreements are contracts that govern the use of a rental property and usually exist between the landlord of the property and the tenant who seeks to use it. These documents state the amount of the rent, along with the term of the rental and other associated terms.
The Georgia residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) is a written contract for the exchange of the temporary use of the residential property for regular, periodic payments ("rent"). The parties involved in the agreement are known as the landlord ("lessor") and the tenant ("lessee"). Create an official Georgia standard residential lease agreement (see…
The Georgia month-to-month rental agreement documents the terms for the renting of property and details the monthly rent, property description, and tenant’s responsibilities. This document has no end date but enables either party (tenant or landlord) to alter or terminate the rental agreement on a monthly basis. One of the best features…
The Georgia rental application form is used by landlords to screen prospective tenants. It can help them choose the best tenant from their application pool to rent a property, as it gives them access to criminal and credit history. The application is submitted prior to writing a lease. Most of these forms…
The Georgia sublease agreement is a binding legal contract between the tenant of a rental (“sublessor”) and a new tenant (“sublessee”). It allows the initial tenant to rent, or sublet, the property. The new tenant must make periodic payments in exchange for using all or part of the rental. This type of…
The Georgia roommate agreement (“room rental agreement”) is a sort of contract between two or more tenants sharing the same rental property (“co-tenants”). This document may also outline the terms and conditions associated with shared spaces, as well as rules that all co-tenants must follow. It is necessary to complete a room…
The Georgia commercial lease agreement is a written contract between a landlord and a business. The lease allows the business to rent commercial spaces such as office space, retail stores, or warehouses in exchange for rent. This type of contract is often more complicated than a residential lease agreement. If a tenant…
Georgia Required Lease Disclosures
- Landlord’s Name & Address (required for all) – A Georgia lease agreement must contain the landlord (or an authorized agent’s) contact information to help establish communication for legal notices.
- Flooding Notice Disclosure (required for some) – If the property for rent has been flooded 3 times within the past 5 years, Georgia landlords must provide a notice of the flooding risks involved with tenancy to avoid liability for flooding damage.
- Lead Based Paint Disclosure (required for some) – If the Georgia rental property was built before 1978, a lead paint disclosure is required to provide information about the risks posed by lead paints and any instances of lead paint in the unit so tenants can safely navigate the hazards.
To learn more about required disclosures in Georgia, click here.
Georgia Landlord Tenant Laws
- Warranty of Habitability – Georgia requires its landlords to provide their tenants with proper plumbing, sanitation facilities, power outlets, and smoke detectors. Upon request, these landlords must make repairs to these amenities within a “reasonable” amount of time. However, Georgia tenants cannot withhold rent or perform a repair and deduct in response.
- Evictions – A Georgia landlord may evict a tenant for failing to pay rent, committing an illegal act, or breaking a lease term. In any of these situations, an eviction can be carried out in under a day. As such, it is common for a Georgia eviction to take only around 24 hours.
- Security Deposits – Georgia does not limit how much a landlord can charge a tenant as a security deposit. However, any deposits collected must be returned to their rightful owner within 30 days of a lease’s completion.
- Lease Termination – A Georgia landlord must always provide 60 days of notice to evict a month-to-month tenant. However, a tenant can also break off a lease early (with proper notice) by providing any of the following justifications: active military duty, landlord harassment, unit uninhabitability, or domestic violence.
- Rent Increases & Fees – Georgia does not limit its landlords when it comes to rent rates or increases. As such, a landlord there can raise rent whenever they want and for any reason. Most operational fees are similarly without a limit, save for bounced check fees (which are capped at $30).
- Landlord Entry – Landlords in Georgia have a right to entry, but only under the terms of a lease. As such, they can determine their own notice requirements, so long as it is documented. Emergency entry rights are also dictated by the lease in this manner.
- Settling Legal Disputes – Georgia’s small claims court can handle many landlord-tenant disputes valued at up to $15,000. This includes evictions. Also, these cases are not clearly subject to a statute of limitations.
To learn more about landlord tenant laws in Georgia, click here.
