How is renting various from home ownership? What are my duties as an occupant? What can I do to keep my rental home a healthy home? What if I have an unhealthy condition in my rental home? What are my rights as a tenant? Fact sheets for renters and occupants during COVID-19 What about Residential Or Commercial Property Maintenance Codes? What is URLTA? What are the minimum standards for rental housing? Can I make a protest? What if I live in federal government assisted housing? Does the USDA assist with renters in rural areas? Where can I discover more about healthy housing policy? Additional resources

* * * Our Healthy Homes personnel are not medical professionals or legal representatives. The details on our Healthy Homes Website does not provide medical or legal suggestions. This information is not an alternative to visiting your doctor or for talking to an attorney about your specific circumstance. * * *
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3 Actions a Concerned Renter Should Do:

1. Put whatever in composing. Take pictures and videos. Save emails, texts, letters, and voicemails. Write a calendar of events.

2. Do not stop paying rent. It would likely protest the lease or the law. Keep your lease receipts as evidence you paid.

3. Read your lease. Whatever is written in the lease is a legal contract. Both occupant and property manager have obligations.

It is likely unlawful for a proprietor to retaliate against a renter who files a problem, calls Buiding Codes, or takes legal action. Changing locks, shutting off energies, showing up frequently, or inappropriately raising rent can be retaliation.

How is renting different from home ownership?

Renting is different from own a home in that the tenant need to depend on somebody else to make repairs. The tenant might not have the ability to make changes to the home without approval. A tenant has both rights and duties. Renting can be an excellent option for lots of people to maintain a healthy home environment, both indoors and outdoors. Whether you lease a home, home, duplex, mobile home or cabin you can keep the seven healthy homes concepts. Remember that good health begins at home.

What are my duties as a renter?

Renters are accountable for cleanliness and security. You might lease without any official arrangement, or you may have a lease arrangement. The most typical type of occupant in Tennessee is a renter who signs a lease arrangement to pay rent monthly throughout the year. Renters may be asked to provide a security deposit. Lease arrangements are legally binding agreements. You are accountable for following the terms of your lease. Some lease contracts have addendums such as pet policies, pest control contracts or for reporting water damage. You are responsible for: paying your rent on time, paying any late costs, keeping the place tidy and safe, not letting anyone else damage it, not breaking the law, getting rid of your garbage, and following your property manager's rules. If you break your lease, then it may end up being a legal issue.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance shared Tips for First-Time Renters along with Tips on How to Spot Rental and Moving Scammers.

What can I do to keep my rental home a healthy home?

There are eight standard principles to preserving a healthy home.

1. Keep it Dry. - Damp homes supply a great environment for termites, roaches, rodents and molds.

1. Keep it Clean. - Clean homes help decrease pest invasions and exposure to contaminants.
2. Keep it Pest-Free. - Exposure to mice and cockroaches might increase asthma attacks. Improper pesticide treatments for insect infestations can worsen health issue, given that pesticide residues in homes can pose health dangers.
3. Keep it Safe. - Most of children's injuries occur in the home. Falls are the most frequent reason for property injuries to children, followed by injuries from things in the home, burns, and poisonings.
4. Keep it Contaminant-Free. - Avoid exposure to lead, radon, carbon monoxide gas, pesticides, asbestos and environmental tobacco smoke. Bear in mind direct exposure is typically greater indoors.
5. Keep it Ventilated. - Studies have actually shown increasing fresh air in a home improves breathing health.
6. Keep it Maintained. - Poorly-maintained homes are at threat of being unhealthy.
7. Keep it Thermally Controlled. - Houses that do not keep sufficient temperature levels might put the security of citizens at increased threat from exposure to severe heat or cold.
   
   If you use these concepts as a guide, you can keep a safe and healthy home. If you are having a problem preserving any of these principles, other parts of this site will know and resources to assist you.
   
   What if I have an unhealthy condition in my rental home?
   
   If you have an unhealthy condition in your rental home, then it may be your duty to repair the problem or it may be your proprietor's obligation to make repair work. Read your rental lease agreement. Comply with any requirements for cleanliness or security. Report any needed repair work to the landlord as they emerge. Putting your issues in writing is finest. This produces a record of your concerns. Repairs to your rental home should be made in an affordable quantity of time. The amount of time may be noted in your lease.
   
   If your property owner has not made repair work in an affordable quantity of time, you might need to communicate more directly, such as with extra written complaints or an in person meeting. If your proprietor continues to disregard your concerns, you may require to pursue legal action.
   
   Disputes between a property manager and a renter are civil problems. Most property manager and renter concerns are outside of the authority of the Health Department. These issues would be ruled on by a civil court judge interpreting the law. There are some programs that support occupants.
   
   What are my rights as a tenant?
   
   According to the Legal Aid Society, as a renter you deserve to a habitable place and to live in harmony. Your rights as an occupant might vary depending on which county you reside in. The Legal Aid Society has a helpful reality sheet to assist you understand your rights as an occupant. How to call the Legal Aid Society or the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services is listed below.
   
   If your rental home needs an emergency situation repair to keep it healthy, such as a repair of the heat, gas, lights, water, sewage, pipes or air conditioning, you should alert your property owner right away.
   
   If the need for repair in not an emergency, then 2 week is typically thought about as a reasonable amount of time for the property owner to make repairs. Hopefully, the majority of repairs will be made rather after a landlord is warned. Use your regular method of reporting needs for repair such as a website, call, text, or office see. Put something into composing to document when you made the landlord familiar with the requirement for repair work.
   
   In some counties you can use some of your lease cash to make these immediate repairs. If the problem was your fault, you might have to help spend for the repairs.
   
   You can not be displaced of your rental home. You can not be evicted without notice. The property manager can not alter the locks or shut off your utilities to make you leave. The majority of the time, a proprietor requires to go to court before evicting you. If you did something harmful or threatening, the property owner only needs to give you three (3) days to move out. If you did not pay lease or broke your lease agreement, you might be given a thirty (30) day see to leave. If you have legal concerns about housing, you need to seek advice from with a lawyer or legal services.
   
   The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Serices has a HELP4TN website, chatbot, and telephone to help individuals who require assist with their legal issues. If you do not have your own attorney, this is a great website to begin.
   
   If you qualify based on earnings or assistance status, the Legal Aid Society might have the ability to assist. Bear in mind, Legal Aid has a customer waiting list and seldom will cases occur quickly. Contact the office near you for more information.
   
   Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands - 1-800-238-1443 Offices in Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville, Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Oak Ridge, and Tullahoma
   
   Legal Aid Society of East Tennessee - 1-865-637-0484 Offices in Knoxville, Johnson City, Chattanooga, and Cleveland
   
   West Tennessee Legal Services - 1-800-372-8346 Offices in Jackson, Dyersburg, Huntingdon, and Selmer
   
   Memphis Area Legal Services - 1-888-207-6386 Offices in Memphis and Covington
   
   The Legal Aid Society created these fact sheets to assist you understand your rights and duties as a renter. Click the left image for counties of 75,000 or more population and the ideal image for smaller sized counties.
   
   Anderson, Blount, Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Madison, Maury, Montgomery, Rutherford, Sevier, Shelby, Sullivan, Sumner, Washington, Williamson, or Wilson
   
   Bedford, Benton, Bledsoe, Campbell, Cannon, Carroll, Carter, Cheatham, Chester, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, Decatur, DeKalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Fentress, Franklin, Gibson, Giles, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hancock, Hardeman, Hardin, Hawkins, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, McMinn, McNairy, Macon, Marion, Marshall, Meigs, Monroe, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Stewart, Tipton, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, Weakley, or White
   
   What about Residential Or Commercial Property Maintenance Codes?
   
   Residential Or Commercial Property Maintenance Codes or Building and Safety Codes are minimum residential or commercial property upkeep requirements. Codes can use to property or non-residential residential or commercial properties or both. Codes assessments can occur at any time, though they are most typical with new building and construction or restoration. Building Codes assist to guarantee safety within a building. It is essential to have buildings up to code. Landlords are accountable for satisfying Codes.
   
   All metropolitan areas in Tennessee have their own codes departments to implement Residential or commercial property Maintenance Codes. Many big county or local government have codes departments. Though, lots of small towns and rural areas do not have any standardized minimum residential or commercial property upkeep codes. Several codes departments throughout the state have actually embraced the International Residential or commercial property Maintenance Code. Codes inspectors might check electrical, plumbing, gas, zoning, and other physical aspects of a home. Contact your regional codes department for information specific to your place.
   
   Often Building Codes will ask if a tenant has currently notified their property manager about the requirement for repair work and given the property manager affordable time to make the repair. Afterward, Buiding Codes may carry out an examination. If there is an inspection, make certain to ask for a copy of any notes or citations. Bear in mind that Building Codes can just go to homes where the renter has legal right to enable their see.
   
   What is URLTA?
   
   Tennessee Code Annotated § 66-28 is the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. URLTA only applies in counties of greater than 75,000 population since the 2010 U.S. Census. For these more populated counties, there are written requirements and defenses to rental agreements consisting of responsibilities for maintenance by the property owner to abide by requirements of suitable structure and housing codes materially affecting healthy and safety, as listed in 66-28-304.( a).
   
   What are the minimum requirements for rental housing?
   
   The Tennessee Department of Health is accountable for promulgating guidelines for minimum health requirements for rental housing. These guidelines belong to Tennessee Code Annotated § 53-5502 reorganized as § 68-111 in Chapter 1200-1-2. The rules cover fundamental equipment and centers, light and ventilation, temperature level, and sanitation.
   
   Can I make an official problem?
   
   If a rental residential or commercial property violates minimum health standards it may be unfit for habitation. According to Tennessee Code § 68-111-101, tenants whose rent is $200 or less each week may submit a problem with their regional building inspector or county public health department. Complaints require to be filed in composing with your county health department and a copy need to be forwarded by qualified mail to the property owner. A certifying complaint can lead to a home investigation. This part of the law does not apply to tenants who pay their lease month-to-month or for a term higher than monthly. For non-qualifying problems, other structure codes or regulations that the building inspector is licensed to impose, may apply to home leased at higher rates.
   
   What if I live in federal government assisted housing?
   
   The federal government helps low-income households, the elderly, and the handicapped to manage good, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Participants find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments. There is an annual Housing Quality Standards (HQS) evaluation procedure to guarantee that homes are clean and safe. Renters with assisted housing, such as Section 8, ought to start by talking with the office that issued their rental Housing Choice Voucher (HCV).
   
   The Tennessee Housing Development Agency performs agreement administration for Section 8 domestic issues in 76 counties. If the residential or commercial property owner or representative is not satisfying their responsibilities, TDHA might intervene. For more details, call THDA at 1-800-228-THDA (8432) throughout regular service hours or check out the THDA web page anytime. Local public housing firms (PHAs) offer services in the other counties. A few of the regional offices are the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency, Murfreesboro Housing Authority, Memphis Housing Authority, and Knox County Housing Authority.
   
   Renters who receive assistance can contact their local U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development workplace. A lot of HUD's programs have particular requirements for housing quality. If your housing is not up to standards, then HUD may intervene to have the property owner make repair work as needed. Tennessee's HUD office contact numbers are:
   
   HUD Knoxville Field Office - (865) 545-4370 Jurisdiction: Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Fentress, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Pickett, Polk, Roane, Rhea, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Washington
   
   HUD Memphis Field Office - (901) 544-3367 Jurisdiction: Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Shelby, Tipton, Weakley
   
   HUD Nashville Field Office - (615) 736-5600 Jurisdiction: Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Clay, Coffee, Davidson, De Kalb, Dickson, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Moore, Overton, Perry, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, White, Williamson, Wilson
   
   Does the USDA help with tenants in backwoods?
   
   Yes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a rural advancement program. USDA helps with some 360 multi-family residential or commercial properties in Tennessee. If you have a concern about residing in USDA-assisted rural housing you can call your rural development local office.
   
   Where can I discover more about healthy housing policy?
   
   Our Healthy Places webpage offers more info about the locations we live, work and play. Click on this link to get more information about healthy housing policies.