The Tennessee rental agreements are contracts between and landlord and tenant for the use of real property. These documents contain the terms and conditions associated with the use of the property, including the price of regular payments (“rent”). Agreements are governed by Tennessee’s landlord-tenant laws.
Tennessee Rental Agreement Types
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Tennessee Required Lease Disclosures
- Landlord’s Name & Address (required for all) – Tennessee lease agreements are required to include the contact information for the landlord or authorized agent acting on behalf of the property for the delivery of legal notices.
- Security Deposit Holdings Disclosure (required for some) – If charging a security deposit for a Tennessee rental property, the location where the deposit is being held must be disclosed in the lease to ensure it is being properly handled.
- Right to Enter for Showings Disclosure (required for some) – Applicable to any rental agreement where the landlord wishes to reserve the right to enter to show the property before the end of the lease term. The landlord may enter the dwelling unit with a tenant’s consent to inspect the rental unit, make necessary and agreed repairs or services, decorations, improvements, and alterations.
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (required for some) – Tennessee lease agreements require a lead-based paint disclosure, notice about existing lead paint hazards, and an informational pamphlet from the EPA if the property was built before 1978.
To learn more about required disclosures in Tennessee, click here.
Tennessee Landlord Tenant Laws
- Warranty of Habitability – Tennessee only requires its landlords to provide a couple amenities to all tenants, including hot/cold running water, electrical, plumbing, and more. Any repairs to these and other non-essential amenities must be made by the landlord within 14 days following a repair request. If those repairs are not made, an effected tenant may then perform the repair themselves. A tenant may not withhold rent.
- Evictions –Tennessee landlords may evict tenants for a number of reasons including, but not limited to failure to pay rent, a violation of a leasing term, or committing an illegal act. Landlords must provide tenants with prior notice to pay or quit, depending on the type of eviction. So, most evictions in Tennessee take four to eight weeks.
- Security Deposits – Tennessee does not limit a security deposit amount, except this law does not apply to counties that have a population less than 75,000 people. However, they do require landlords to return the unused portions of the security deposits within 30 days (after the tenant leaves) or 60 days (if the landlord doesn’t receive a response from the tenant regarding the refund).
- Lease Termination – In Tennessee, a month-to-month lease can be broken after the tenant provides 30 days’ notice to their landlord. Fixed-term leases, meanwhile, can only be terminated early if the tenant supplies proof of unit uninhabitability, domestic violence, landlord harassment, or active military duty.
- Rent Increases & Fees – Tennessee landlords are entitled to raise rent rates whenever they wish. No state law requires them to provide justification or notice for these increases. The state does limit the value of some fees, including late rent fees (10% of the missing rent) and bounced check fees ($30).
- Landlord Entry –Tenants are required to give the landlord access to the property to make necessary repairs. However, the landlord must get their tenants’ permission prior to entry unless it’s an emergency or if utilities have been shut off (at no fault of the landlord).
- Settling Legal Disputes – Tennessee landlords and tenants may file most types of disputes as cases in state small claims court system. This includes cases valued at up to $25,000 and eviction. All cases must fit the state’s statutes of limitation, however (6 years for rent-related claims, 3 years for other disputes).
To learn more about landlord tenant laws in Tennessee, click here.
