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

Warning!
copy. Or go to www.las.org on the
internet. Click on the “Legal Help
Booklets” at the top of the page.
Then click on the “Renters and Your landlord can also keep
Home Owners” button. Then click your security deposit if you
on the “Security Deposits” button. leave (abandon) your home.
You abandon your home if:
If you agree with the landlord about what you
1. You are behind on rent AND leave for 30
should pay, then sign the list. Signing it means
days or more without telling the landlord
you agree to pay for the broken or messed up
why. You should do this in writing OR
things on the list. The landlord will take this
money out of your security deposit. If the repairs 2. Your rent is 15 days late AND it looks like
cost more than the deposit, you will have to pay you have left for good.
more.
If you abandon your home, the landlord can rent
it to someone else. He can also sell anything you
left there. The landlord does NOT have to go to
Security Deposit court first if you abandon the place.

Before you move out, pay all the rent you owe
and any late fees. If you don’t, the landlord can
take it out of the security deposit.

When you move out, you will get the security
deposit back IF:
• You haven’t broken or messed up
anything AND don’t owe any rent when
you move OR
• The landlord didn’t keep your security
deposit separate. It has to be in a bank
account just for security deposits.

Be sure you give the
landlord your new address.
And ask in writing for
your security deposit back
right away. Put the date
on the letter and keep a
copy. If you don’t, the
landlord may try to keep
your security deposit. If
the landlord keeps your
deposit wrongly, you may
go to court to get it back.
Page 10 of 11
 How long before
you can be evicted?