Effective Date: November 1, 2025
Jurisdiction: State of Georgia
Applies To: All landlords, property managers, agents and listing entities using Tentunit to list residential rental properties (including student, young-professional, and family housing) in Georgia.
1. Purpose
This Statement sets forth the legal, operational, and ethical obligations for landlords listing through Tentunit in Georgia. By using Tentunit, the landlord agrees to adhere to this Statement, the Tentunit Terms of Service, Payment Terms, Fair Housing & Equal Access Policy, and all relevant federal, state and local laws. This document is not legal advice; landlords should consult counsel for full compliance.
2. Listing Accuracy, Transparency & Advertising Standards
Landlords must ensure listings are truthful, current, and reflect the actual unit and terms offered.
Required Disclosures
Each listing must clearly disclose:
- Monthly rent amount, lease term (start/end or renewal/notice terms), and earliest availability date.
- All one-time and recurring fees: application fees, move-in administrative fees, parking/amenity fees, pet fees/deposits, utility re-billing or allocation charges.
- Security deposit amount (or fee-in-lieu if accepted) with full description of return conditions, deduction policy, and timeframe.
- Utilities: which utilities tenant pays, which landlord pays; method of sub-metering or allocation if applicable.
- Unit condition: photographs must reflect the actual unit being offered, not simply a model unit unless clearly disclosed.
- Screening criteria: income thresholds, credit requirements, guarantor/co-signer policies, student status or age criteria if applicable.
- Availability status: The unit must be genuinely available for lease. If no longer available, listing must be updated or removed promptly.
Prohibited Practices
- Advertising units that are not truly available or failing to update availability changes in a timely manner.
- Misrepresenting size (bedrooms/bathrooms), finishes, amenities, views, location or condition of the unit.
- “Starting at” or “from” rent offers without clear disclosure of eligibility, unit availability or duration.
- Omitting required fees or making hidden charges such that a reasonable renter is misled.
- Bait-and-switch: advertising one set of unit or terms and offering a materially different one without clear disclosure.
Legal/Regulatory Context
The Georgia landlord-tenant statute (Title 44, Chapter 7) governs the relationship between landlords and tenants. The “Safe at Home Act” (HB 404) establishes habitability duties that landlords must meet.
3. Fair Housing & Equal Access
Landlords must comply with the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.) and applicable Georgia and local non-discrimination laws.
Landlords must:
- Use consistent, neutral screening criteria applied uniformly to all applicants regardless of protected class (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status).
- Provide reasonable accommodations/modifications for persons with disabilities as required by law.
- Avoid discriminatory language or practices in advertising, screening, communications or leasing.
- Maintain documentation of screening criteria, decisions, and accommodations.
4. Communication Standards & Platform Responsiveness
To support the student / young-professional housing market and maintain platform integrity, landlords must operate with high responsiveness:
- Acknowledge rental listing inquiries, application submissions or maintenance requests via Tentunit (or another documented channel) within 24 hours, and provide substantive response within 48 hours.
- Keep applicants informed of status (approved, denied, wait-list); keep tenants informed of scheduled inspections, entries, repairs or changes to lease/house rules.
- Keep listing information current: when rent, fees, availability, photos, policies or utilities change, update the listing promptly.
- Maintain professional, respectful, non-discriminatory communication. Repeated failures to respond or abusive conduct may result in listing suspension or account termination via Tentunit.
5. Lease Execution, Legal Compliance & Contract Terms
All leases executed via Tentunit (or for units listed on Tentunit) in Georgia must comply with statutory requirements and reflect best-practice standards.
Required Lease Elements
- Lease must be in writing or recorded digitally and executed by both landlord/agent and tenant through a compliant process.
- Lease must clearly state: landlord or agent full name & mailing address for notices and service; rent amount and due date; lease term (fixed or periodic); renewal and termination mechanics; security deposit amount and handling; all recurring and one-time fees; utilities responsibilities; screening criteria; any special terms applicable to student/young professional housing (e.g., sub-letting, roommate policies).
- Lease must include required disclosures (e.g., lead-based paint for units built before 1978).
- Lease must not contain provisions allowing unlawful self-help eviction (lock-out, utility shut-off) or waive statutory tenant rights.
- Termination/notice provisions must comply with Georgia law for dispossessory proceedings.
6. Habitability, Maintenance & Repair Obligations
Landlords are obligated to deliver and maintain premises in a safe, habitable condition as implied under Georgia law.
Key obligations include:
- Deliver the premises in a condition fit for human habitation; maintain structural components (roof, walls, floors, windows/doors, stairways, porches) in safe repair.
- Maintain essential utilities and services: heating (if provided in lease), plumbing, sanitation, electrical, secure locks.
- Respond to tenant repair requests in a reasonable timeframe. Although Georgia law does not define strict deadlines, best practice is prompt action (particularly for emergencies) such as within 24-72 hours.
- Document and maintain records of maintenance requests, responses, work orders, tenant communications, before/after photographs.
- Prohibit retaliation against tenants for exercising their legal rights (e.g., requesting repairs).
- Landlords must guard against known security risks (including reasonably foreseeable criminal conduct) as part of premises liability and safe-habitation duties.
7. Entry, Inspections & Tenant Privacy
Landlords must respect tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment and provide access in a reasonable and documented manner.
- While Georgia statute does not statutorily define a fixed notice period for non-emergency entries, industry best practice (and risk-management expectation via Tentunit) is at least 24 hours’ written notice for non-emergency entries, and entry during reasonable hours (e.g., 8 a.m.–8 p.m.).
- Entry is permitted for legitimate purposes: repairs, inspections, showings to prospective tenants or purchasers, agreed improvements, or as provided in the lease.
- Landlord should document all entry notices, times, purposes, attendees, outcome.
- For move-out inspections, best practice is to offer tenant an opportunity to attend and create a move-out condition checklist with date-stamped photographs to facilitate security deposit settlement.
8. Security Deposit Handling & Administration
Georgia law provides detailed requirements for security deposits under Title 44, Chapter 7, Article 2.
Key Rules
- Maximum deposit: Georgia law allows a security deposit up to two months’ rent (under § 44-7-30.1) under certain conditions.
- Holding / escrow requirement: Landlord must place the deposit in a trust/escrow account (or post a surety bond) and must notify tenant in writing of the location of the escrow account. § 44-7-31.
- Pre-move-in condition list: Prior to accepting a security deposit, landlord must provide tenant with a list of existing damages, tenant must sign or dissent in writing. § 44-7-33(a).
- Move-out inspection list: Within 3 business days of lease termination & vacancy, landlord must inspect and produce list of damage with estimated cost. Tenant has 5 business days to request inspection and sign list or submit dissent. § 44-7-33(b).
- Return timeline: Within 30 days after obtaining possession via vacancy or surrender, landlord must return full deposit or provide written statement of reasons for withholding. § 44-7-34(a).
Permissible Deductions
Landlord may withhold portion of deposit for unpaid rent, unpaid utilities (if tenant responsible), damage beyond ordinary wear & tear. Ordinary wear & tear cannot be charged. § 44-7-34(a).
Remedies for Non-Compliance
If landlord fails to comply with deposit statute (e.g., wrongful withholding, failure to escrow, failure to provide lists), tenant may recover up to three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney’s fees if the landlord owns more than ten rental units or uses a management agent.
Tentunit Requirements for Landlords
- Use a move-in condition checklist, signed by both landlord and tenant, with date-stamped photos.
- Clearly disclose in listing/lease: deposit amount, conditions for deductions, timeframe for return, escrow/surety arrangement and account information.
- Maintain ledger of deposit account(s), escrow status, deduction documentation, correspondence, forwarding address of tenant, return and itemization.
- Ensure deposit is held in escrow or via bond as required.
- Return deposit (or itemized statement + remainder) within statutory timeline; keep documentation of mailing/return.
- When ownership of property transfers mid-tenancy, ensure proper transfer of deposit account and notification to tenant (best practice even if statute silent).
9. Student-Housing & Young-Professional Specific Standards
Given Tentunit’s focus on student and young-professional renters, landlords must adopt elevated transparency and operational standards:
- In listings clearly disclose: proximity to college/university, availability of student-friendly lease terms, public transit/parking policies or amenities, sub-letting or early-lease release policy, roommate options, renewal/non-renewal process.
- Provide digital onboarding materials tailored for younger renters: move-in guide, roommate/shared-space rules, utilities setup instructions, emergency contact information, house-rule expectations.
- Avoid predatory practices aimed at students (e.g., excessive non-refundable fees, unclear guarantor demands, hidden charges after move-in).
- Maintain communication channels suited to younger demographic: mobile/app notifications, after-hours support, clear roommate/lease expectations.
- House rules, cleaning schedules, guest/party policies, roommate responsibilities must align with statutory rights and lease terms; must be clearly disclosed and consistently enforced.
10. Documentation, Audit, Compliance & Platform Enforcement
Landlords must maintain full audit-ready records and operate at institutional-compliance level; Tentunit retains enforcement rights.
Record-Keeping Requirements
For each property and tenancy, landlord must maintain:
- Listing metadata: upload dates, photo version history, availability changes, fee schedule changes.
- Screening/application logs: inquiry dates, screening criteria used, approvals/denials, dates, communications.
- Executed lease file: signed lease (digital or paper), amendments/renewals, disclosures, student-housing addenda.
- Maintenance/repair logs: tenant requests (date/time), vendor/work order, completion date/time, tenant notification, photographs.
- Entry/inspection logs: notice date/time, entry date/time, purpose, attendee(s), outcome, photographs.
- Security deposit ledger: amount collected, date, escrow/bond verification, move-in checklist, damage list, deductions, return date, forwarding address documentation.
- Tenant communications: via Tentunit portal or other documented channel: listing inquiry, application update, entry/inspection notices, maintenance scheduling, lease renewal/termination notifications.
Tentunit Enforcement Rights
Tentunit may:
- Audit landlord records (listing, lease, maintenance, entry, deposit) at any time without prior notice.
- Suspend or remove listings that materially violate this Statement, Tentunit policies or state/federal law.
- Freeze or withhold landlord payouts tied to non-compliant units (e.g., unresolved deposit disputes, habitability complaints).
- Terminate landlord’s platform account permanently for repeated or serious violations.
- Report landlord non-compliance or unlawful conduct to relevant Georgia regulatory or enforcement agencies.
- Seek recovery of damages, attorneys’ fees, platform enforcement costs arising from landlord misconduct.
11. Indemnification
Landlord agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Tentunit, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents and contractors from and against all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs (including attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to:
- Landlord’s breach of this Statement or any Tentunit policy.
- Landlord’s violation of federal, state or local housing laws or regulations.
- Landlord’s misrepresentation of 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
Georgia Statutes & Reference Materials
- Ga. Code § 44-7-31 – Placement of Security Deposit in Trust/Escrow Account; Notice to Tenant. Justia+1
- Ga. Code § 44-7-33 – Lists of Existing Defects and Move-Out Damage List. Justia+1
- Ga. Code § 44-7-34 – Return of Security Deposit; Grounds for Retention; Delivery of Statement and Sum due. Justia
- Ga. Code § 44-7-13 – Landlord Duties as to Repairs and Habitability. Justia
- Georgia Department of Community Affairs & Georgia Legal Aid handbooks – Landlord-Tenant Handbook. Georgia Department of Community Affairs+1
- Georgia Legal Aid & consumer resources – Security deposit guide. georgialegalaid.org+1
Federal Foundations
- Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.)
- Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (units built pre-1978)
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) for eligible tenant status