Tennessee Landlord Responsibility Statement

Effective Date: November 1, 2025
Jurisdiction: State of Tennessee
Applies To: All landlords, property managers, agents and listing entities using the Tentunit platform to list residential rental properties (including student-housing, young-professional and conventional rentals) in Tennessee.

1. Purpose

This Statement delineates the operational, legal, and ethical obligations that landlords must fulfill when listing properties via Tentunit in Tennessee. By listing through Tentunit in Tennessee, the landlord agrees to comply with this Statement, Tentunit’s Terms of Service and Payment Terms, Tentunit’s Fair Housing & Equal Access Policy, and all applicable federal, state, and local laws. This document is not legal advice; landlords should consult qualified legal counsel for full compliance.

2. Listing Accuracy, Transparency & Advertising Standards

Landlords must ensure that every listing on the Tentunit platform is truthful, current, transparent, and accurately reflects the property and the lease terms offered.

Required Disclosures

Each listing must clearly disclose:

The monthly rent amount, the lease term (fixed period or periodic with renewal/notice mechanics), and the earliest availability date of the unit.
All one-time and recurring fees: application or screening fees; administration or move-in fees; pet fees or deposits; parking or amenity fees; utility re-billing or allocation or sub-metering fees.
The security deposit amount (or any fee in lieu of deposit, if permitted) and the conditions under which it may be withheld, and the timeframe for return or accounting.
Clear delineation of utility responsibilities: which utilities are tenant-paid, which are landlord-paid; if there is cost allocation or sub-metering, the method must be explained.
Photographs and descriptive text must depict the actual unit being listed (not a model unit) unless explicitly disclosed and genuinely representative.
Up-front publication of screening criteria: income threshold (if any), credit/rental history checks, guarantor or co-signer policy, student-specific eligibility, roommate/house-share terms if relevant.
Availability confirmation: the listing must represent a unit genuinely available for lease; if the status changes (leased, held for prospects, unavailable), the listing must be promptly updated or removed.

Prohibited Practices

Landlords must not:

Advertise units that are not genuinely available without timely updating of status.
Misrepresent material facts about the unit: number of bedrooms/bathrooms, square footage, condition or finishes, view/amenities, location.
Use “starting at”, “from”, or similar pricing without full disclosure of eligibility criteria, unit availability and timing.
Omit or hide material fees or cost structures such that a reasonably prudent renter is misled about the total cost of occupancy.
Employ “bait-and-switch” tactics: advertising one unit/terms and then offering materially different unit or terms without disclosure.

Legal/Regulatory Context

Residential landlord-tenant relationships in Tennessee are governed by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (“URLTA”) under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66, Chapter 28. Landlords and listing practices must also adhere to federal truth-in-advertising obligations and the federal Fair Housing Act.

3. Fair Housing & Equal Access

All landlords listing via Tentunit must comply with:

The federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.).
Applicable Tennessee state laws and local ordinances addressing housing discrimination.
Landlord obligations include:
Applying neutral, consistently enforced screening criteria to all applicants, regardless of protected class (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status) or local analogues.
Providing reasonable accommodations or modifications for persons with disabilities when required by law.
Avoiding discriminatory or exclusionary statements or practices in advertising, applications, tenant communications, screening decisions or lease enforcement.
Maintaining documentation of screening criteria applied, decisions made, and any accommodation/modification requests and outcomes.

4. Communication Standards & Platform Responsiveness

Because Tentunit serves a student and young-professional rental market, landlords must commit to prompt, documented, professional communication:

Acknowledge listing inquiries, application submissions, maintenance/repair requests via the Tentunit platform (or other documented channel) within 24 hours, and provide a substantive update within 48 hours.
Keep applicants informed of their status (approved, denied, wait-list) and keep tenants informed of scheduled entries, inspections, maintenance work or changes to lease or house-rules.
Ensure the listing is kept current: any change in rent, fees, availability, amenities, utilities, photos or policies must be promptly updated.
All communications must be professional, respectful and non-discriminatory. Repeated failures to respond or discriminatory/harrassing behavior may result in listing suspension or account termination by Tentunit.

5. Lease Execution, Legal Compliance & Contract Terms

Leases executed through the Tentunit platform (or tied to units listed on Tentunit) in Tennessee must comply with state law and reflect industry best-practice standards.

Required Lease Elements & Obligations

While Tennessee law allows both written and oral rental agreements under certain conditions, Tentunit strongly recommends a written lease or documented digital equivalent to ensure clarity and enforceability.
The lease must identify the full legal name and mailing address of the landlord or agent for notices and service of process in compliance with Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66.
The lease must clearly state: the rent amount and due date; the lease term (fixed or periodic); renewal/termination mechanics; the security deposit amount and handling; all recurring and one-time fees; utility responsibilities; screening criteria; for student/young-professional housing, any roommate/shared housing policy, sub-letting rules, early-lease-release options.
Include required disclosures: for example, the federal Lead-Based Paint Hazard disclosure for units built before 1978; any Tennessee statutory or local required disclosures.
The lease must not include terms that interfere with tenants’ statutory rights or permit unlawful “self-help” eviction practices (lock-out, utility shut-off, change of locks without process). Tennessee law prohibits retaliatory actions or improper eviction methods.
Termination and notice provisions must align with Tennessee law governing evictions (for cause/non-payment) and periodic tenancy terminations.

6. Habitability, Maintenance & Repair Obligations

Landlords must deliver and maintain rental premises in Tennessee in a safe, habitable, clean, and code-compliant condition. The state’s renter guidance indicates that landlords must make required repairs within a reasonable time after notice.
Key obligations include:

Maintain structural components: roof, walls, floors, windows/doors, stairways/porches/handrails in safe and usable condition.
Provide and maintain functioning utilities/systems if landlord contractually obligated or required by code: plumbing, electrical, sanitation, locks/egress, heating/cooling if specified.
Respond in a timely (reasonable) manner to conditions materially affecting health or safety once notified. Best practice is documented scheduling and follow-up.
Maintain documented logs: tenant repair/maintenance request date/time, vendor/work-order reference, completion date/time, tenant notification of status, before-and-after photographs.
Landlord must not retaliate against tenants for exercising legal rights (e.g., requesting repairs, complaining to authorities, deposit claims) Tennessee resources identify prohibited retaliatory conduct.

7. Entry, Inspections & Tenant Privacy

Landlords must respect the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment of the property and ensure access/entry is lawful, documented, and reasonable.

While Tennessee statute does not prescribe a fixed statewide mandatory notice period for non-emergency entry, industry best practice (and Tentunit standard) is to provide at least 24 hours’ written notice for non-emergency access and limit entry to reasonable hours (e.g., 8 a.m.–8 p.m.).
Entry should be for legitimate purposes: repairs, inspections, showing the unit to prospective tenants/purchasers, agreed improvements, or as provided in the lease.
Landlord should document: notice date/time of entry, actual entry date/time, purpose of entry, persons present, condition observed, photographs where applicable.
At move-out, conducting a walkthrough inspection with the tenant (if possible) and using a condition checklist with timestamped photographs is strongly recommended to support deposit handling and reduce disputes.

8. Security Deposit Handling & Administration

Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301, landlords must comply with the statutory requirements for security deposits.

Key Rules

Holding requirements: All landlords of residential property requiring security deposits must deposit the funds in an account used only for that purpose, held at a bank or lending institution regulated by the state or a federal agency. § 66-28-301(a).
Tenant inspection right: The tenant has the right to inspect the premises to determine their liability for physical damages that form the basis for any charge against the deposit. The inspection must occur as specified: upon landlord’s request or within five days after written tenant notice to vacate; landlord may require inspection within four days after tenant vacates. § 66-28-301(b)(1)(A)/(B).
Notice of account location: The landlord must notify the tenant, at the time of lease signing and when the deposit is submitted, of the location of the account where the deposit is held (though not required to give the account number). § 66-28-301(h).
Maximum amount / limitations: Tennessee law currently does not impose a statutory monetary cap on the security deposit amount, although certain guidance suggests deposits “should be reasonable” and some resources note local limitations may apply.
Return and deductions: Landlord must either return the deposit or remaining balance, minus lawful deductions, within a reasonable time after the tenancy ends; many sources indicate within 30 days is common practice.
Permissible deductions: Landlord may deduct for unpaid rent, damages beyond normal wear and tear, and any breach of lease resulting in financial loss to landlord. Landlord may not deduct for ordinary wear and tear.
Ownership transfer: If the property is sold or interest transferred, the landlord must transfer the deposit to the successor and notify the tenant accordingly.

Tentunit Requirements for Tennessee Landlords

Use a move-in condition checklist, signed by landlord/agent and tenant, with date-stamped photographs at the start of tenancy.
Disclose in the listing and lease: security deposit amount; conditions for withholding; process and timeframe for return; account location notice; tenant’s forwarding address requirement.
Maintain full documentation: date and amount of deposit received; account/institution name & address; tenant forwarding address documentation; itemised deduction list if held; refund date and method of delivery.
Ensure deposit is either refunded (or itemised deduction list plus remaining balance) within a reasonable timeframe (preferably within 30 days) after lease termination and delivery of possession, or otherwise follow statute and best practice.
Avoid labelling all or part of the deposit as “non-refundable” unless lawful and clearly disclosed; avoid combining deposit with pre-paid rent unless explicitly agreed and lawful.
If property management or ownership changes during tenancy: ensure the security deposit is properly transferred and tenant receives written notice of the successor landlord/agent and deposit holding location.

9. Student-Housing & Young-Professional Specific Standards

Given Tentunit’s focus on student and young-professional renters, landlords must adopt elevated standards:

In listing clearly disclose: proximity to campus/university, public-transit/parking policy and costs, sub-letting or early-lease-release policy, roommate/sharing policy if applicable, renewal/non-renewal process.
Provide digital onboarding materials tailored for younger renters: move-in orientation guide, roommate/house-share rules, utility/internet setup instructions, campus/transportation orientation, emergency contact info.
Avoid predatory practices targeting students/young professionals (e.g., excessive non-refundable fees, ambiguous early-termination clauses, forced guarantor/co-signer without alternatives).
Maintain mobile/app-friendly communication channels with timely responses; clearly define house-rules (shared-spaces cleaning, guest/noise policy, roommate obligations) aligned with statutory tenant rights; ensure house-rules are clearly disclosed in listing & lease and enforced consistently and fairly.

10. Documentation, Audit, Compliance & Platform Enforcement

Landlords must maintain institutional-level documentation and transparency; Tentunit retains robust enforcement rights.

Record-Keeping Requirements

Landlords must maintain, for each property/tenancy:

Listing metadata: upload date, photo version history, listing edits/updates, fee schedule changes, availability updates.
Screening/application logs: inquiry date/time, screening criteria applied, applications received, approvals/denials, communications.
Executed lease file: signed lease (digital or paper), any amendments/renewals, disclosures, guarantor/co-signer documentation if applicable.
Maintenance/repair logs: tenant request date/time, vendor/work-order number, completion date/time, tenant notifications, before/after photographs.
Entry/inspection logs: notice date/time, actual entry date/time, purpose of entry, persons present, condition observed, photos where applicable.
Security deposit records: deposit amount & date collected; account/institution name & address; tenant forwarding address documentation; itemised deduction statements (if any); refund date and proof of mailing/transfer.
Communication logs: listing inquiries, application status updates, maintenance scheduling, entries/inspection notices, lease renewal/termination communications via Tentunit portal or documented alternate channel.

Enforcement Rights of Tentunit

Tentunit may:

Audit landlord compliance (listing practices, lease documentation, maintenance/entry logs, deposit handling) at any time without prior notice.
Suspend or remove listings for material or repeated non-compliance with this Statement, Tentunit policies or Tennessee/federal law.
Freeze or withhold landlord payouts tied to units flagged for unresolved compliance issues (e.g., deposit disputes, habitability complaints, discrimination claims).
Terminate landlord’s platform account permanently for serious or repeated violations.
Report non-compliance or unlawful conduct to relevant regulatory or enforcement agencies (e.g., Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance, housing courts) when applicable.
Seek recovery of damages, attorney’s fees and enforcement costs incurred by Tentunit due to landlord’s non-compliance.

11. Indemnification

Landlord shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Tentunit, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents and contractors from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to:

Landlord’s breach of this Statement or any Tentunit policy;
Landlord’s violation of any federal, state or local housing/tenant-landlord laws or regulations;
Landlord’s misrepresentation of a listing, unit condition, availability, terms or fees;
Tenant claims or disputes arising from landlord’s acts or omissions;
Platform investigations or regulatory enforcement triggered by landlord non-compliance.

12. Governing Law & Reference Statutes

Tennessee Statutory & Reference Materials

Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 – Security deposits: required holding in separate account, tenant inspection rights, notice of deposit location. Justia Law+1
URLTA (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) – Title 66, Chapter 28, Tenn. Code Ann. AAOA+1
Tennessee Department of Health – Renters’ Rights & Responsibilities, including repair/maintenance and prohibition of landlord retaliation. Tennessee State Government
Practical summaries: Hemlane “Tennessee Security Deposit Laws” (2025) Hemlane

Federal Law Foundations

Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.)
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (for dwellings built before 1978)
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) for eligible tenants