Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Clarksville

Find the right Tenant attorney in Clarksville, TN

Tenant Law in Tennessee

In Clarksville, Tennessee, relationships between tenants and landlords can sometimes become strained.

There are several rights and responsibilities that landlords and tenants have. It's important that each party is aware of their rights, and the rights of the other party. By knowing and respecting these rights, the risk of conflict should be reduced dramatically.

Landlord's Rights in Clarksville, TN

First and foremost, landlords have a right to timely payment of rent from their tenants, at the agreed-upon rate. This, of course, imposes on tenants a duty to pay their rent in full, in a timely manner.

Also, landlords have a right to be compensated for damage a tenant causes to a rented unit, either intentionally or negligently. Landlords have a right to deduct repair costs from tenants' security deposits, unless the damage was caused by normal wear and tear, for which tenants are not liable.

Tenant's Rights in Clarksville, TN

Much like landlords have a right to get paid for the service they provide, tenants have a right to get what they pay for: a suitable place to live. In Clarksville, Tennessee, all residential rental agreements carry an "implied warranty of habitability." This means that a landlord implicitly guarantees that any residence he or she rents will be fit for human habitation. In general, an unit will be automatically deemed uninhabitable if it lacks running water, electricity, heat, and adequate protection from the elements. There are several more factors that can be considered, as well, but those are some of the basics.

Tenants also have a right to ensure that the common areas of their apartment building are reasonably safe. Landlords are required to make sure that the common areas of their buildings meet Clarksville, Tennessee's building codes, and that there are no conditions that create unnecessary safety hazards. They are required to make, at their own expense, the necessary repairs.

Under federal and Tennessee law, tenants are also entitled to protection against discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, marital status, or gender. Such discrimination can lead to severe civil penalties against the landlord. Landlords also cannot discriminate against tenants based on physical disability, and have to make reasonable accommodations for physically disabled tenants. For example, they have to allow disabled tenants to make minor physical alterations to the unit (at the tenant's expense) to make it more accessible. Now, they don't need to allow the tenants to have the building remodeled. We're just talking about things like installing handrails in the bathroom, and similar things. The landlord can, however, require tenants to restore the apartment to its original condition, at the tenant's expense, once the tenant leaves.

Finally, tenants are legally protected from arbitrary eviction. Landlords generally must have a very good reason to evict a tenant before the lease agreement reaches the end of its term (at this point, they are of course allowed to decline to renew the lease). Of course, if the tenant breaches the lease agreement (such as by failing to pay rent, damaging the property, or violating other reasonable rules the landlord has put in the lease), the landlord, like a party to any other contract, is free to terminate the agreement and evict the breaching tenant.

Can a Clarksville, Tennessee Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Landlords and tenants generally want to avoid conflict with one another. However, conflicts are sometimes unavoidable. If you end up in a major dispute with a landlord or a tenant, a good Clarksville, Tennessee landlord/tenant attorney can help.

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Life in Clarksville

Clarksville, Tennessee is a city located in, and serving as the county seat of, Montgomery County. It has a population of over 132,000 people.

Clarksville was founded in 1785, making it the oldest incorporated city in Tennessee. However, human habitation of the area that now includes Clarksville, Tennessee dates back at least 11,000 years.

Modernly, Clarksville, Tennessee's economy is dominated by industry. Major industrial employers in Clarksville, Tennessee include American Standard, the Trane company (Clarksville's largest employer - a manufacturer of industrial ventilation equipment), and many others. In addition to employing a large number of blue-collar workers, these (and other) corporations also have many administrative employees, including accountants and Clarksville, Tennessee lawyers.

Because of the presence of large corporations, as well as a population of blue-collar workers, the lawyers of Clarksville, Tennessee are capable of handling a wide range of cases. So, if you need an attorney, chances are there's a lawyer in Clarksville, Tennessee who can help.

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