Georgia Apartment Rental Laws
When a tenant rents an apartment in Georgia, both the tenant and the landlord must follow a set of laws put forth by the Georgia state government. These laws govern the fees associated with renting an apartment, the maintenance required on the rental unit and the relationship between the landlord and the tenant. Following legal guidelines will help renting an apartment go smoothly.
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Leases
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Typically, the landlord will provide the tenant with a lease before he moves into the apartment. The lease should specify how long the tenant will live in the apartment, the amount of rent due, when the rent is due and any provisions the landlord has for the rental unit. The landlord can include other clauses in the lease, such as an automatic renewal clause which restarts the lease at the end of the lease period. Both the landlord and the tenant must follow the lease agreement.
Rent and Deposits
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The landlord can charge the tenant any amount of rent he wishes and make that rent payable daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly. The landlord cannot, however, raise the rent during a lease period. If the tenant does not have a lease, the landlord can raise the rent by giving the tenant a 60-day written notice, according to the Georgia Department of Housing and Development. The landlord can also ask for a security deposit. According to the Georgia Department of Housing and Development, the landlord must return the security deposit to the tenant within 30 days of the end of the lease agreement, providing the tenant does not owe any past due rent and did not damage the apartment.
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Landlord Responsibilities
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A landlord must keep the apartment building and the apartments themselves in good condition. The landlord is responsible for making repairs to the roof, the plumbing, the wiring and other structural aspects of the property. The landlord is also responsible for the outside of the apartment, including parking lots. If the landlord provided any appliances, he must make repairs to them as needed. If the landlord fails to make repairs, the tenant can make the repair himself and deduct the cost from his rent.
Tenant Responsibilities
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Generally, the tenant is responsible for paying the rent, keeping the apartment clean and being respectful of the other tenants in the building. Under Georgia Law, tenants are also responsible for the cost of repairing any damage they cause to the apartment. The lease agreement may also state other responsibilities the tenant must follow. For example, the landlord may require that the tenant replace the filters in the air conditioning unit himself.
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