66-28-201 - Terms and conditions. - Tennessee Statutes

66-28-201. Terms and conditions.

(a)  The landlord and tenant may include in a rental agreement, terms and conditions not prohibited by this chapter or other rule of law including rent, term of the agreement, and other provisions governing the rights and obligations of parties. A rental agreement cannot provide that the tenant agrees to waive or forego rights or remedies under this chapter. The landlord or the landlord's agent shall advise in writing that the landlord is not responsible for, and will not provide, fire or casualty insurance for the tenant's personal property.

(b)  In absence of a lease agreement, the tenant shall pay the reasonable value for the use and occupancy of the dwelling unit.

(c)  Rent shall be payable without demand at the time and place agreed upon by the parties. Notice is specifically waived upon the nonpayment of rent by the tenant only if such a waiver is provided for in a written rental agreement. Unless otherwise agreed, rent is payable at the dwelling unit and periodic rent is payable at the beginning of any term of one (1) month or less and otherwise in equal monthly installments at the beginning of each month. Upon agreement, rent shall be uniformly apportionable from day to day.

(d)  There shall be a five-day grace period between the day the rent was due and the day a fee for the late payment of rent may be charged. If the last day of the five-day grace period occurs on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, as defined in § 15-1-101, the landlord shall not impose any charge or fee for the late payment of rent, provided that the rent is paid on the next business day. Any charge or fee, however described, which is charged by the landlord for the late payment of rent shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the amount of rent past due.

(e)  (1)  No charge or fee for the late payment of rent due from a tenant in a public housing project shall exceed five dollars ($5.00) per month. No late charge or fee shall be assessed such tenant unless more than fifteen (15) days have elapsed since the rent was due.

     (2)  The provisions of this subsection (e) shall apply only to counties with a population between two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) and three hundred thousand (300,000) according to the 1980 federal census or any subsequent federal census.

[Acts 1975, ch. 245, § 1.401; T.C.A., § 64-2811; Acts 1984, ch. 876, § 1; 1986, ch. 747, § 1; 1989, ch. 503, § 1; 2000, ch. 666, § 1; 2001, ch. 154, § 1.]