Georgia Renter's Rights
Renter's rights in Georgia are written into law to provide renters with some measure of power to ensure they are not taken advantage of by unscrupulous landlords. These rights include access to certain information such as hazardous materials in the rental property and the right to inspect the property before deciding to rent or hand the landlord a security deposit.
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Inspection of the Property
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A landlord in Georgia who owns more than 10 rental units in the state is required to submit a written list of existing damage to the rental unit to his tenant prior to the tenant moving into the rental unit. The tenant is also entitled to a pre-tenancy inspection of the property during which he and the landlord may come to an agreement as to the existing condition of the property. These steps are required to be completed before the landlord may require a security deposit from the tenant. Georgia law does not require a written statement of property damage for a landlord who owns less than 10 rental units.
Making Repairs
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It is illegal for a landlord to force a tenant to make repairs to the landlord's rental property or for the tenant to voluntarily make repairs to the rental property unless she caused the damage in question. A landlord is required to maintain the rental unit by making all necessary repairs or having repairs handled by licensed professionals. Each rental unit is required to comply with local health and safety regulations. All requests for repairs to the property made by the tenant to the landlord should be in writing.
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Disclosures and Safety
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According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, a tenant has the right to hazardous material disclosures when renting residential property built before 1978. These disclosures relate to hazardous materials in existence in the home such as lead-based paint. Additionally, no state law in Georgia requires a landlord to place a smoke detector in any rental property though laws may exist at the local level which require it. There is also no state law determining how many people can live in a particular rental property though the landlord may restrict how many tenants are signed to a lease as she sees fit.
Lease Termination
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If the lease agreement between a landlord and a tenant expires and the landlord continues to accept rental payments, tenancy is considered "at will" in Georgia. This essentially means a month-to-month rental. If the tenant wishes to terminate his month-to-month he is required to give his landlord at least 30 days notice in writing. If the landlord wishes to terminate the monthly rental he is required to give his tenant at least 60 days written notice.
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