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Nashville-Davidson is a consolidated city-county government encompassing Davidson County, and it is one of the fastest-growing rental markets in the Southeast. With hundreds of thousands of renters and a housing market that has seen dramatic rent increases over the past decade, understanding your legal rights as a tenant is more important than ever. Davidson County's population well exceeds 75,000, which means the Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), Tenn. Code §§ 66-28-101 et seq., applies here — giving Nashville-Davidson renters a more robust set of protections than tenants in smaller Tennessee counties.
The most common questions Nashville-Davidson renters ask involve rent increases, security deposit returns, eviction procedures, and what to do when a landlord refuses to make repairs. This page addresses each of those topics with specific references to the statutes that govern your tenancy. Tennessee does not require just cause for eviction, and there is no rent control anywhere in the state — but the URLTA does give you meaningful rights around habitability, retaliation, and the eviction process itself.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws change, and individual circumstances vary. If you are facing eviction or a serious housing dispute, contact a qualified attorney or a legal aid organization in your area.
Nashville-Davidson has no rent control, and neither does any other city or county in Tennessee. State law explicitly forbids local governments from enacting rent stabilization or rent control ordinances. The preemption statute, Tenn. Code § 66-35-102, provides that no county or municipality may enact any ordinance, resolution, or other measure that would regulate or control the amount of rent charged for privately owned residential or commercial rental property. This prohibition applies equally to Nashville-Davidson's metro government and to every other local jurisdiction in the state.
In practice, this means your landlord in Nashville-Davidson can raise your rent by any amount — there is no cap, no required justification, and no formula limiting increases. The only constraint is procedural: the landlord must give you proper advance written notice before a rent increase takes effect. For month-to-month tenants, that notice period is 30 days under Tenn. Code § 66-28-512. If your lease has a fixed term, the landlord generally cannot raise your rent until the lease expires unless the lease itself allows for it.
Advocacy groups and housing organizations have periodically sought rent stabilization measures in Nashville, but any such local ordinance would be immediately unenforceable under § 66-35-102 unless and until the state legislature repeals or amends the preemption. Renters facing unaffordable increases have no legal mechanism to challenge the amount — only the adequacy of notice.
Because Davidson County has a population well over 75,000, the Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), Tenn. Code §§ 66-28-101 through 66-28-521, governs residential tenancies in Nashville-Davidson. The following are the key protections it provides.
Habitability and Repairs (Tenn. Code § 66-28-304): Landlords must maintain rental units in a fit and habitable condition, keep common areas safe, and ensure all essential services — heat, plumbing, electrical systems, and structural components — are in working order. If your landlord fails to make a required repair, you must first provide written notice. The landlord then has 14 days to begin remediation (or a shorter, reasonable time for emergency conditions). If the landlord does not act, you may pursue remedies including rent escrow, repair-and-deduct (within statutory limits), or termination of the lease.
Security Deposit Return (Tenn. Code § 66-28-301): Landlords must return your security deposit — with an itemized written statement of any deductions — within 30 days of the termination of the tenancy and surrender of the unit. Failure to comply can expose the landlord to liability for the full deposit amount plus additional damages.
Notice to Terminate (Tenn. Code § 66-28-512): Either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by giving at least 30 days' written notice before the next rent due date. A landlord who wants you to vacate must provide this notice in writing; verbal notice alone is insufficient.
Anti-Retaliation (Tenn. Code § 66-28-514): A landlord may not retaliate against you for reporting code violations to a government agency, complaining about habitability conditions, or exercising any legal right under the URLTA. Prohibited retaliatory acts include raising rent, reducing services, or initiating eviction within a period after you engage in a protected activity. If a landlord retaliates, you may raise retaliation as a defense in an eviction proceeding and may be entitled to damages.
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (Tenn. Code § 66-28-505): Self-help eviction is illegal in Tennessee. A landlord cannot remove you from your home by changing the locks, removing doors or windows, shutting off utilities, or taking your belongings without first obtaining a court order. Violations expose the landlord to civil liability.
Under Tenn. Code § 66-28-301, which applies in Davidson County as a URLTA jurisdiction, Tennessee law governs how landlords must handle security deposits for Nashville-Davidson rentals.
No statutory cap: Tennessee law does not set a maximum security deposit amount for residential tenancies. Landlords may charge whatever amount the parties agree to in the lease — commonly one to two months' rent in the Nashville market.
Separate account requirement: Landlords holding a security deposit must keep it in a separate bank account and may not commingle it with personal or business funds. The landlord must disclose the name and location of the financial institution where the deposit is held (Tenn. Code § 66-28-301(b)).
Return deadline — 30 days: After the tenancy ends and you surrender possession of the unit, the landlord has 30 days to return your deposit. If the landlord makes any deductions, they must provide an itemized written statement explaining each deduction along with the remaining balance. Permitted deductions include unpaid rent and damages beyond normal wear and tear; deductions for ordinary wear and tear are not allowed.
Penalty for wrongful withholding: If a landlord fails to return the deposit (or the itemized statement) within the 30-day window without justification, you are entitled to recover the full deposit amount plus damages (Tenn. Code § 66-28-301(f)). Courts have awarded additional damages where landlords acted in bad faith. To strengthen your claim, document the unit's condition thoroughly at move-in and move-out with dated photographs and written records, and provide written forwarding address to your landlord upon vacating.
Tennessee landlords in Davidson County must follow a specific legal process to remove a tenant. Self-help eviction — including changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities — is illegal under Tenn. Code § 66-28-505 and exposes the landlord to civil liability regardless of whether the tenant owes rent.
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing in court, the landlord must serve the tenant with a written notice. The type and length of notice depends on the reason for eviction:
Step 2 — Filing in General Sessions Court: If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord files a Detainer Warrant (eviction complaint) in Davidson County General Sessions Court. The tenant will be served with the warrant and a hearing date, typically scheduled within a few weeks of filing.
Step 3 — Court Hearing: Both parties may appear and present their case. Tenants have the right to raise defenses including improper notice, retaliation (Tenn. Code § 66-28-514), habitability failures, or payment of rent. If the court rules in the landlord's favor, a Writ of Possession is issued.
Step 4 — Writ of Possession and Enforcement: The Writ of Possession authorizes the sheriff to remove the tenant if they have not vacated. A landlord cannot enforce the writ personally — only law enforcement may carry out the physical removal. Tenants may appeal a General Sessions judgment to Circuit Court within 10 days, which typically stays the eviction during the appeal.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws are complex, and individual circumstances vary significantly. Statutes and local ordinances may change after the publication of this article — always verify current law with a licensed Tennessee attorney or a qualified legal aid organization. RentCheckMe is not a law firm and no attorney-client relationship is created by your use of this website. If you are facing eviction, a habitability dispute, or any serious housing matter, please contact the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & The Cumberlands or another qualified legal professional as soon as possible.
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