Tennessee Standard Residential Lease Agreement

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The Tennessee Residential Lease Agreement is a rental document used for setting up the structure of a mutual agreement where a property is rented to a tenant for an average period of one (1) year. Originally created by the Tennessee Association of Realtors, the form complies with all lease laws by including the necessary disclosures landlords are required to provide tenants. The contract addresses the key aspects of this landlord-tenant relationship, including, but not limited to: a) the details parties involved, b) a description of the property in question, c) what is/is not included, and d) the lease term and rent amount.

Tenant Screening: Tennessee Rental Application

State Laws

Laws: Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (§§ 66-28-101 to 66-28-521)

Maximum Security Deposit: The state does not impose a maximum security deposit amount the landlord can charge the tenant. Landlords should note, however, any security deposit that is collected from a tenant must be deposited in a bank account or other lending institution account that is only used for that purpose, according to § 66-28-301.

Deadline for Returning Security Deposits (§ 66-28-301(g)(1)): It is a state-mandated requirement that landlords return the security deposits to tenants within a certain amount of time (minus any expenses incurred by any damages made by the tenant). The amount of time the return must be made is dependent on the particular circumstances the landlord is presented with, as explained below:

  • If the tenant vacated or abandoned the premises, the landlord has up to thirty (30) days to return it.
  • If a new tenant takes possession of the premises, the landlord must return it seven (7) days after this event.

Required Notice for Property Access (§ 66-28-403(b)): If there is an emergency the landlord does not require the tenant’s consent to enter the rental dwelling. There is not, however, any notice period specified for non-emergency access, so the landlord is urged to provide a reasonable amount of notice before entering (this is usually considered at least twenty-four (24) hours notice).