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

you to do this. The 14 days start days
have to move out. This written warning is called the day the landlord tells
notice. Keep reading to see how much time you you in writing to move out.
have to move. • How do you fix the problem? Is the
problem that you didn’t pay rent or late
Before going to court, the landlord must give
fees? Then you must pay what you owe.
you written warning to move out. It must say how
many days you have to get out. If you pay rent You must pay to fix property you
weekly, the landlord must give you 10 days’ damaged. The landlord has to say the
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 repairs are OK. Your list of what you What if the landlord takes you to court?
will fix and the landlord’s OK must be in
writing. IMPORTANT! Even if the landlord takes you to
court, keep paying rent. You must pay the rent
• If the same problem happens again within for the whole time covered by the lease. Example:
6 months, you will have to move. The Your lease is for one year. Your landlord has a
landlord must give you a 7 day warning to right to all the rent due for that year. This is true
move and take you to court. If you don’t even if you don’t live there any more!
move, the landlord can take you to court.
You can only fix things and stay in your Did the landlord tell you in writing when to
place 1 time in 6 months. move? Did the letter give you the right number
of days to move? If not, tell the judge. The judge
• What if the problem can’t may give you more time to move.
be fixed by paying rent or
paying for damages? The Did you pay your rent late and the landlord took
landlord can tell you to the rent? Then show the judge your receipt from
move out in 14 days. the landlord or cancelled check. The judge may
• What if you did something else that
not make you move.
broke your lease or