Full question:
I discovered a leak under my kitchen sink that had been leaking for sometime and finally the water came up throught the flooring into my kitchen and living room. Mold started to grow immediately. After being out of my rental trailer for over a week the repairs have been done. However the repairs do not look the same as to when I rented the trailer. The repairs done were not to the same look as to when I rented the property. For instance they replaced a sheetrock wall with plywood and painted it a peach color whereas the original color was off white like the rest of the walls. My question is DO I HAVE TO ACCEPT THIS? and CAN I VACATE THE PREMISES AND RECEIVE A DEPOSIT REFUND? When the leak was discovered I had already paid my rent for the week and was only there for one night. I then in turn had to pay for my things being there while I could not stay there. My rent was one forth of the normal rent for my things to remain there till repairs were completed. Can I recover any of these expenses?
- Category: Landlord Tenant
- Subcategory: Repairs
- Date:
- State: Tennessee
Answer:
According to Tennessee law, landlords must maintain rental properties in a habitable condition and comply with building codes affecting health and safety (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-304). If the repairs made do not restore your rental unit to its original condition, you may have grounds to refuse acceptance of the changes.
If the landlord fails to comply with the rental agreement or the law, you can pursue damages, seek injunctive relief, and recover attorney's fees after providing fourteen days' written notice (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-501). If you terminate the rental agreement due to noncompliance, the landlord must return all prepaid rent and any recoverable security deposits.
You may also be entitled to recover expenses incurred while your belongings remained in the trailer during repairs. Tennessee law requires landlords to mitigate damages, which means they should address issues promptly to minimize your losses.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.