Tennessee Department of Health, If You Rent a Place, Know Your Legal Rights and Duties

It says what the rules box and spam folder. He may have important
are and what the landlord can make you pay. news about your lease or rent. OR he may be
telling you he needs to come inside in your
Example: If you leave trash outside your door, home.
the lease may say you have to pay a fee. Or your
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The landlord can’t make you give an e-mail must pay the rent the next business day.
address. What if you don’t want your landlord The most the late fee can be is 10% of the
to write to you by e-mail? Then don’t write your rent you owe.
e-mail address in the lease. The landlord can
o Do you live in public housing? You
write to you by regular mail.
get a late fee if the rent is more than 10
days late. The late fee will be $10 OR
Does the lease say you waive written notice? If
10% of your rent if that is less. NOTE: In
you get behind on your rent, the landlord can
Rutherford County, the rules are different.
take you straight to court. He can ask the judge to
You get a $5 late fee if the rent is more
make you move out. The landlord doesn’t have to
than 15 days late.
warn you in writing first.
• Keep the place as clean and safe as when you
Get a signed copy of the lease. Keep it with your moved in.
important papers.
• Don’t tear up the place or let anyone else tear
What if you don’t have a written lease? OR what it up.
if you and the landlord just agreed but you don’t • Don’t upset the neighbors or break the law
have proof? Be careful. Later, the landlord can in your home. Don’t let your family, friends
say that you are trespassing and make you move or visitors do it either. It is your fault if your
out (evict you). guests act up. The landlord can take you to
court and make you pay. He can also have
What if you move in and can’t prove you have you evicted.
an