A Beginner's Guide to Eviction Laws In Tennessee
Rental properties are in high demand and the cost to rent a housing unit has skyrocketed. So it is not unusual for landlords to attempt to evict tenants in an attempt to charge higher rents to new tenants. If you are renting an apartment or house in Tennessee, and have been threatened by a lawsuit or eviction, you have certain protections under. Not understanding the laws could result in you being treated unfairly or unlawfully.
DoNotPay can help with that! DoNotPay has a Landlord Protection product that shows you how to protect yourself, write a demand letter, resolve disputes with your landlord, and even sue in small claims court.
What Are Tennessee Eviction Laws?
By law, Tennessee landlords must follow the laws that are set forth by when attempting to evict a renter or tenant.
- If the landlord tries to circumvent the law, or avoids it altogether, the eviction will be invalid and will not hold up in court.
- Tennessee law requires a landlord to have cause to terminate a lease or binding agreement.
- Without cause, the landlord must wait until the end of the lease to evict.
The most common reason for eviction is failure to pay rent. Other reasons would include other lease violations, committing violent acts, or participating in drug related activities in the rental unit. The landlord begins the process by giving notice to the tenant. The length required is determined by the reason for the eviction.
How Many Days Notice Is a Landlord Required to Give?
Your landlord cannot just kick you out without serving notice first. The number of days required by law that a landlord must give before eviction are as follows:
- 14 Day Notice: The tenant has 14 days to cure the offense before the tenant files an eviction suit in court. 14 days are given in the following cases:
- Failure to pay rent
- Damage to the rental unit that goes beyond normal wear and tear.
- Committing a violent act or threatening others on the rental property.
- 30 Day Notice: The landlord is required to give at least 30 days’ notice for the tenant to cure other lease violations.
- Three Day Notice: If the tenant has committed any drug-related activities, the landlord can give just three days’ notice before filing eviction proceedings with the court.
At the end of the period, the landlord can then file an eviction lawsuit with the court. The only legal way that a landlord can remove a tenant from a rental unit is by winning an eviction lawsuit with the court.
Once the landlord wins the eviction lawsuit, a law enforcement officer must then handle the actual eviction of the tenant.
How to Handle Tennessee Eviction on Your Own.
If you are unsure about the Tennessee eviction laws, how they affect you, or what to do in the case that you have been served notice by your landlord, there are a few things you can do on your own. Try these steps:
| Cure the Violation | For example, pay the rent you own, repair the unit damage. Give proof to the landlord of the cure. Document what you have done, and if possible, ask the landlord to sign off that it was completed. Do not pay in cash unless you are given a written, dated receipt. |
| Fight Back in Court | Be sure to have documentation to back up your claims, such as canceled checks, rent receipts, repair receipts, or photos. |
| Sue Your Landlord | You may feel that the landlord has somehow defaulted on your rental lease or if the unit is not kept in good repair, has become contaminated, or there have been other blatant lease violations. |
How Can DoNotPay Help?
DoNotPay is here to guide you through it and file your disputes on your behalf. Our Landlord Protection product can help you:
- Get back your security deposits
- Learn about your state's eviction laws and what protections apply in your case
- Resolve disputes regarding repairs with your landlord
- Resolve disputes with roommates by filing demand letters or going through small claims court
- Break your lease early
How to Break a Lease in TN with DoNotPay
If you want to break a lease in Tennessee but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 4 easy steps:
- Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
- Select which issue applies to you.
- Answer a simple set of questions so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
- Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.
And that's it! You should hear back from your landlord directly once your demands are sent.
Why Use DoNotPay to Protect Yourself Under Tennessee Eviction Laws
There are unscrupulous landlords out there who are ready to take advantage of your ignorance of Tennessee Eviction Laws. DoNotPay is the best choice you can make because we are:
- Fast- You don’t have to spend so much time online looking for help against unlawful eviction in Tennessee.
- Easy- You don’t have to fill up tedious paperwork or keep track of all the periods or steps necessary to protect your rights.
- Successful- Be one of the many who have used our products and services and become victorious!
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
DoNotPay has a product available to help solve many of the problems you encounter.
DoNotPay saves time, money, and frustration by offering easy-to-follow directions that will offer the best case in solving your problem. Do you need a standardized legal document but don't know where to get it? Do you need to get a document notarized? Have questions about the Freedom of Information Act? Or are you trying to locate missing money? Whatever the problem, DoNotPay can help with the solution.