HomeRocketRent Logo
Sign Up

Start today for FREE.

Tennessee

A Tennessee simple (basic) lease agreement creates a legally binding document that outlines rental terms for dwellings. This rental contract typically includes essential provisions such as landlord and tenant names and identifying details, property addresses, lease terms, pet allowances, risk disclosures, and security deposit details. Every Tennessee lease agreement must comply with state regulations while protecting both landlord and tenant interests throughout the tenancy period.

Sign Up
Tennessee Simple Basic Lease Agreement

Tennessee Simple Basic Lease Agreement

Tennessee Simple (Basic) Lease Agreement

Tennessee maintains landlord-friendly rental laws without rent control restrictions, allowing property owners to set rental prices without limitations. However, the state establishes regulations regarding late fees, which landlords can include in their rental agreements. Additionally, Tennessee mandates grace periods for rent payments, providing tenant protections. Property owners face no licensing requirements to operate rental properties in Tennessee.

Required Tennessee Lease Agreement Disclosures

Tennessee law requires landlords to provide several written disclosures to tenants in every rental contract:

Property Management Identification: Landlords must disclose their contact details, including property owner names and addresses or authorized agent information within their Tennessee lease agreement documentation.

Property Showing Rights: Property owners must inform tenants of their rights to show properties to prospective tenants within 30 days of current lease term endings. Additionally, landlords must include these rights in lease agreements.

Lead-Based Hazards Disclosure: Tenants must receive information about potential risks associated with lead-based paint in properties built before 1978 through their rental contracts.

Abandoned Personal Property Notice: Landlords should notify tenants of presumed abandonment of personal property before disposal under their Tennessee lease agreement terms.

Security Deposit Damage Notice: Property owners must provide itemized damage lists to tenants when withholding security deposits.

Tennessee Lease Agreement Security Deposit Regulations

Tennessee regulates security deposits through specific requirements that favor landlord flexibility:

Security Deposit Limits and Documentation Requirements

Tennessee law establishes no maximum amounts for security deposits, allowing landlords to charge any amounts they choose. Additionally, property owners face no requirements to provide receipts for security deposits or pay interest on them under their lease agreements.

Security Deposit Banking and Storage Requirements

However, when landlords collect security deposits, they must keep funds in separate accounts designated for this purpose.

Security Deposit Return and Deduction Procedures

Property owners must return security deposits within 30 days of tenancy endings when no unpaid rent or damages exist. Furthermore, when tenants request deduction lists from security deposits, landlords must provide them in writing under their Tennessee lease agreement provisions.

Tennessee Lease Agreement Rent Payment Requirements

Monthly Rent Due Dates and Payment Terms

Rent typically becomes due at the beginning of each month unless rental contracts specify otherwise. Property owners must clearly outline payment schedules and terms in their lease documentation.

Rent Control and Increase Policies

Landlords can raise rent without restrictions due to Tennessee’s absence of rent control laws. This gives property owners complete pricing flexibility for their rental properties.

Late Fee Policies and Grace Period Benefits

Tennessee caps late fees at 10% of past-due rent amounts, protecting tenants from excessive penalties. Additionally, landlords must provide five-day grace periods for payments. After this period expires, property owners may issue 7-day notices to quit for non-payment.

Tenant Utility Rights and Rent Deductions

Tenants may deduct reasonable portions of rent for vital utility services they procure when landlords fail to provide them under their Tennessee lease agreement provisions.

Landlord Entry Rights Under Tennessee Lease Agreements

Property owners may enter properties without tenant consent during emergencies. While Tennessee law doesn’t require landlords to change locks, property owners must not intentionally lock out tenants with eviction intent.

Property Maintenance Responsibilities

Landlord Repair Obligations and Building Code Compliance

Landlords bear responsibility for making necessary repairs, complying with building codes, and providing appropriate receptacles in multi-unit complexes of four or more units. Property owners must maintain safe, habitable conditions throughout tenancy periods.

Tenant Maintenance Responsibilities and Code Compliance

Tenants must adhere to housing and building codes, maintain cleanliness and safety in their premises, and properly dispose of waste throughout their lease terms.

Property Abandonment Classification Procedures

Landlords may assume tenants have abandoned properties when unexplained absences last 30 days without rent payment. Additionally, property owners may presume abandonment when rent remains unpaid for 15 days with reasonable abandonment indications under their Tennessee lease agreement terms.

How to Terminate a Tennessee Lease Agreement

Month-to-Month Tenancy Termination Requirements

To terminate month-to-month tenancies, landlords must provide 30-day notices to tenants. This standard notice period gives both parties adequate preparation time for tenancy changes.

Abandoned Property Storage and Disposal Procedures

When tenants leave property behind, landlords must store belongings for 30 days after abandonment occurs. After this period expires, property owners may dispose of or sell abandoned items under Tennessee lease agreement regulations.

City-Specific Tennessee Lease Agreement Considerations

While this information pertains to Tennessee state laws, specific cities such as Nashville and Memphis may impose additional regulations. Property owners and tenants should check local laws for any specific requirements that might affect their rental agreements beyond state-level Tennessee lease agreement provisions.

Key Takeaways for Tennessee Lease Agreements

Benefits for Property Owners

Tennessee’s landlord-friendly rental laws provide significant operational flexibility for property owners. Landlords benefit from no rent control restrictions, unlimited security deposit amounts, and reasonable late fee structures that protect their investment interests.

Tenant Protection Features

Tenants enjoy protections through mandated grace periods, reasonable late fee caps, and utility service deduction rights when landlords fail to provide essential services throughout their tenancy periods.

Compliance and Success Factors

Understanding these Tennessee lease agreement requirements helps both parties create successful rental relationships while maintaining compliance with state and local regulations that balance landlord flexibility with essential tenant protections.

FAQs

In Tennessee, landlords must disclose several key details in the lease agreement, including the contact information of the property owner or authorized agent, the right to show the property within 30 days of lease termination, potential lead-based hazards for properties built before 1978, and a notice regarding abandoned personal property. Additionally, landlords must provide an itemized list of damages when returning a security deposit.

Tennessee law does not establish a maximum amount for security deposits, allowing landlords to charge any amount they deem appropriate. However, they must keep the security deposit in a separate account and return it within 30 days of the tenancy’s end if there are no unpaid rents or damages.

To terminate a month-to-month lease in Tennessee, a landlord must provide a 30-day notice to the tenant. This notice allows the tenant sufficient time to vacate the property before the lease ends.

In Tennessee, landlords can charge a late fee of no more than 10% of the past-due rent. They are also required to provide a five-day grace period for tenants to pay their rent before further action, such as sending a 7-day notice to quit for non-payment, can be taken.

Landlords in Tennessee are responsible for making necessary repairs to the property, ensuring compliance with building codes, and providing appropriate receptacles in multi-unit complexes. They must maintain the property in a safe and habitable condition for tenants.

Yes, tenants in Tennessee can withhold rent if they procure vital utility services and pay for them by deducting a reasonable portion from their rent. This is typically applicable when the landlord fails to provide essential services.

If a tenant leaves personal property behind, the landlord should store it for 30 days. After this period, if the tenant does not claim the property, the landlord may dispose of it or sell it.

In Tennessee, landlords are not required to provide receipts when they collect security deposits. However, they must return the deposit within 30 days of the tenancy’s end, along with an itemized list of any deductions for damages.