✓ Law Verified June 2026
This guide explains your rights when your Tennessee landlord will not make repairs — what they must provide, how much notice to give, and your options including repair-and-deduct and rent withholding. All figures are from Tennessee law, verified as of June 2026.
In This Tennessee Guide:
Tennessee Repair & Habitability Rules at a Glance
| Warranty of habitability | YES — Tennessee recognizes an implied warranty of habitability under the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), TCA § 66-28-304. Landlords must make all repairs necessary to keep the premises fit and habitable. IMPORTANT: The URLTA only applies in Tennessee counties with a population greater than 75,000 at the 2010 U.S. Census (including Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Rutherford, Williamson, Sullivan, Sumner, Montgomery, Blount, Washington, Madison, Maury, Bradley, Wilson, Anderson, Sevier, and Greene counties). Tenants in smaller counties may have fewer statutory protections and should consult a local attorney. |
| Notice to landlord required | 14 days written notice for general noncompliance under TCA § 66-28-501. For essential services failures under TCA § 66-28-502, the tenant must give written notice but may act more quickly — the statute requires notice but does not impose a specific waiting period before the tenant procures essential services or substitute housing. |
| Repair-and-deduct allowed | YES, but only for essential services. Under TCA § 66-28-502, if the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply essential services (heat, gas, electricity, water), the tenant may procure those essential services and deduct the actual and reasonable cost from rent. The tenant must first give written notice to the landlord specifying the breach. This remedy does NOT apply to general non-emergency repairs — it is limited to essential services that materially affect health and safety. |
| Rent withholding allowed | NO for general repairs. Tennessee does not allow tenants to unilaterally withhold rent for unrepaired conditions. However, under TCA § 66-28-502, if essential services fail and the tenant procures reasonable substitute housing, the tenant is excused from paying rent during the period of noncompliance. Separately, under TCA § 68-111-104, if the tenant files a habitability complaint with the local building inspector or county health department and the landlord fails to make repairs within 30 days, the tenant may pay rent to the county clerk instead of the landlord. The rent is held until repairs are made and a certificate of compliance is issued. |
| Rent escrow option | YES — Under TCA § 68-111-104, a Tennessee tenant may pay rent to the county clerk instead of the landlord if: (1) the tenant files a complaint with the local building inspector or county health department about habitability conditions, and (2) the landlord fails to correct the issues within 30 days. The county clerk holds the rent and only releases it to the landlord after repairs are completed and a certificate of compliance is issued by the inspector or health department. |
What Your Tennessee Landlord Must Provide
Under TCA § 66-28-304, a Tennessee landlord must comply with all applicable building and housing codes affecting health and safety; make all repairs necessary to keep the premises fit and habitable; keep common areas clean and safe; maintain electrical systems, plumbing, heating, hot water, and sanitary facilities in good working order; and in complexes of 4 or more units, provide trash removal receptacles.
Essential services under TCA § 66-28-502 specifically include gas, heat, electricity, water, and any other service that materially affects health and safety. Note that Tennessee law does not require landlords to provide air conditioning unless the lease specifically includes it.
Your Options When Repairs Are Not Made
Repair and deduct: YES, but only for essential services. Under TCA § 66-28-502, if the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply essential services (heat, gas, electricity, water), the tenant may procure those essential services and deduct the actual and reasonable cost from rent.
The tenant must first give written notice to the landlord specifying the breach. This remedy does NOT apply to general non-emergency repairs — it is limited to essential services that materially affect health and safety.
Withhold rent: NO for general repairs. Tennessee does not allow tenants to unilaterally withhold rent for unrepaired conditions. However, under TCA § 66-28-502, if essential services fail and the tenant procures reasonable substitute housing, the tenant is excused from paying rent during the period of noncompliance.
Separately, under TCA § 68-111-104, if the tenant files a habitability complaint with the local building inspector or county health department and the landlord fails to make repairs within 30 days, the tenant may pay rent to the county clerk instead of the landlord.
The rent is held until repairs are made and a certificate of compliance is issued.
Report to code enforcement: Tennessee tenants should file complaints with their local codes enforcement or building inspection office, or with the county public health department. In Nashville, contact the Property Standards Division at 615-862-6590. In Memphis, contact Code Enforcement at 901-636-7464.
In Knoxville, contact Neighborhood Codes Enforcement at 865-215-4311. For other areas, contact your city or county building codes office or county health department. The Tennessee Department of Health Healthy Homes program at tn.gov/health also provides guidance for renters in unhealthy housing conditions.
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Constructive eviction: YES — Tennessee courts recognize constructive eviction. If the landlord’s actions or failure to act makes the property substantially unsuitable for its intended purpose and the tenant is effectively forced to vacate, the tenant may terminate the lease. Under TCA § 66-28-502, if essential services fail, the tenant may procure substitute housing and is excused from paying rent.
Under TCA § 66-28-501, if the landlord materially fails to comply, the tenant may terminate the rental agreement after giving 14 days written notice.
Retaliation protection: YES — Under TCA § 66-28-514, a Tennessee landlord may not retaliate by increasing rent, decreasing services, or bringing or threatening an eviction action because the tenant complained about code violations, requested repairs, or exercised any remedy under the URLTA. If the tenant proves the landlord’s action was retaliatory, the court must dismiss the eviction.
Exception: retaliation protections do not apply if the code violation was primarily caused by the tenant’s own negligence, or if compliance would require demolition or alteration that deprives the tenant of use.
Other Tennessee repair rules: Tennessee’s URLTA only applies in counties with a population over 75,000 at the 2010 Census — tenants in rural or smaller counties may not have these statutory protections and should consult a local attorney or legal aid organization. Tennessee law does not require landlords to provide air conditioning.
Under TCA § 6-54-511, if a rental property receives 3 code violation citations on 3 separate dates within a 6-month period, the municipal codes agency is authorized to conduct interior inspections of the property.
Tennessee tenants cannot unilaterally withhold rent — they must either use the repair-and-deduct remedy for essential services, file a complaint and use the county clerk escrow process, or seek a court order.
Understanding Tennessee Landlord Repair Obligations
When Tennessee landlord repairs are not made, you have options — but you must follow the right steps to protect yourself legally. Tennessee landlord repairs law requires written notice to the landlord, a reasonable time to fix the problem, and documentation of the condition. Skipping any step can weaken your position if the dispute over Tennessee landlord repairs ends up in court.
Always put your repair request in writing, keep a copy, and take dated photos — this paper trail is your strongest evidence that Tennessee landlord repairs were demanded and ignored.
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Official Tennessee Sources & Resources
- Tennessee Attorney General: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/environmental/healthy-homes/hh/renters.html
- Tennessee Habitability Statute: https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-66/chapter-28/
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: hud.gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex
This Tennessee repairs guide was last verified against official sources in June 2026. Laws change — verify with your state or a local legal-aid office.
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Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal advice. Landlord-tenant laws change and vary by city and county within a state. Verify current rules with your state, your local court, or a free legal-aid office before acting. If you are facing eviction, contact a local tenant attorney or legal-aid organization right away.