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Last Updated: May 2026

The law took effect on January 1, 2025, and applies to rental agreements entered into on or after that date. Tennessee House Bill 1814 became Public Chapter 907 and amended Tennessee landlord duty rules under Title 66.

This law matters because many tenants face a serious but common problem. They do not know who owns the rental, who manages it, or where to send a formal notice.

A tenant may have a roof leak, no heat, pests, unsafe locks, or a court-related notice, yet only have a dead phone number or a portal that no one checks. The new rule does not solve every rental dispute, but it gives both sides a clearer starting point.

The TenantLawGuide team explains Tennessee HB 1814 for general information only. It is not legal advice. Tenants with urgent repair, eviction, or court issues should contact a Tennessee attorney, legal aid office, or local housing agency.

What Is the New Tennessee Landlord Tenant Communication Law?

The new Tennessee landlord tenant communication law requires a landlord, or a person who signs a rental agreement for the landlord, to give the tenant key contact details in writing at or before the start of the tenancy.

The law focuses on three main things: who manages the property, who owns it or can accept legal notices, and how the tenant can report maintenance problems.

This rule is often linked to the Landlord Transparency Act. That name fits the purpose of the update. The law makes rental ownership and management less hidden. It helps tenants know who stands behind the lease and who must receive important messages.

The law also helps landlords. A clear contact sheet can reduce confusion, missed repair reports, and false claims that a tenant had no way to reach the right person. Good contact records can protect both sides if a dispute later reaches court.

Is This a Communication Law or a Disclosure Law?

This law is mainly a contact disclosure law, but it affects landlord-tenant communication in a direct way. It does not create a new rule that says every landlord must answer every message within a set number of hours. It requires the landlord to give tenants written contact details so they know where to send repair requests, notices, and demands.

That difference matters. A tenant can use this law when the landlord fails to provide the required contact information. A tenant should use repair laws, lease terms, local code rules, and written notices when the landlord ignores a serious housing problem.

In simple terms, the law does not promise fast replies. It gives tenants a clear path to the right person. That path can make a major difference when proof of notice matters.

What Information Must a Tennessee Landlord Give?

A Tennessee landlord must give written contact information at or before the start of the tenancy. The information must help the tenant reach the correct person without guesswork. A vague phrase like “contact management” may not give enough detail if the tenant cannot identify the manager, owner, agent, or maintenance contact.

A landlord should keep this information current. The Tennessee General Assembly summary says the required information must remain current, and the duty can extend to successor landlords, owners, or managers.

When Does the Law Apply?

The law applies to rental agreements entered into on or after January 1, 2025. That date matters. A lease signed before that date may not fall under the same new disclosure rule unless a new agreement starts after the effective date. HB 1814 states that the act takes effect on January 1, 2025, and applies to agreements entered into on or after that date.

A tenant who signs a new Tennessee rental agreement in 2025 or later should expect the required contact details before the tenancy starts. The landlord should not wait until a repair dispute starts. The contact information belongs at the front of the rental relationship.

This timing helps both sides. Tenants know where to send repair requests and formal notices. Landlords get a cleaner record that shows the tenant had the right contact path from day one.

Does the Law Apply in Every Tennessee County?

Tennessee landlord-tenant law can depend on which part of Title 66 applies to the rental. The Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act covers certain Tennessee counties.

But HB 1814 also added similar disclosure language under Title 66, Chapter 7. That broader update matters because not every rental dispute fits the same chapter.

The safest step is simple. A Tennessee landlord who enters a new rental agreement on or after January 1, 2025, should give the tenant written contact information for the manager, owner or authorized agent, and maintenance contact method. A tenant should ask for that information if the lease packet does not include it.

This approach avoids confusion and creates a clean record for both sides. It also helps if a later dispute depends on proof of notice, repair contract, or service of process.

What Can a Tenant Do If the Landlord Does Not Provide the Information?

A tenant can send a written request if the landlord does not provide the required contact details. HB 1814 gives the landlord 10 days after the tenant’s written request to provide the information. If the landlord still fails to provide it, the tenant may bring a court action to require disclosure.

The tenant should not rely only on a phone call. A written request creates proof. Use email, certified mail, a portal message, or another method that saves the date and full message.

Here is a simple tenant request:

Dear Landlord or Property Manager,
Please provide the written contact information required under Tennessee landlord-tenant law. I need the name and address of the property manager, the owner or authorized agent for notices and legal papers, and the phone number, email address, or portal used for maintenance and landlord-tenant communication. I request that you send these contact details within the time allowed by Tennessee law.

Thank you.

What Happens If the Landlord Ignores the Law?

The law gives tenants a real remedy. If a court finds that the landlord or landlord’s agent failed to comply, the court must order the information to be provided and award the tenant reasonable costs and attorney fees.

The law also says a person who fails to comply may become an agent for the landlord for the purpose of accepting service of process and receiving notices and demands. In plain terms, a person who signs or handles the rental but hides the required information may still become the legal contact for notices.

This can matter in real disputes. A tenant with a repair claim may need to prove that the correct person had notice. A landlord in a lease dispute may face harder questions if the tenant never received proper contact information.

Repair Contact vs Legal Notice Address

Tenants should not send every serious notice only through a repair portal. A portal can help, but it may not create the strongest proof. A tenant should save screenshots, email copies, mail receipts, and photos that show the problem and the date of notice.

This section is important because many rental disputes do not fail due to the facts. They fail because one side cannot prove who received notice, when notice was sent, or what the notice said.

Is an Online Portal Enough?

An online portal can satisfy part of the law if it is designed for landlord-tenant communication or maintenance contact. Tennessee Code § 66-28-302 includes an online portal system as one option for landlord-tenant communication.

A portal can still create practical problems. A tenant may lose access after move-out. A message may disappear. The system may not show full message history. A landlord may claim the message went to the wrong category.

A tenant should use the portal if the lease requires it, but should also save proof. Take screenshots before and after submission. Save confirmation emails. Write down the date, time, and issue. This record can help if the repair issue later becomes a legal dispute.

Why This Law Helps Tenants in Real Life

This law helps tenants because rental problems often get worse when no one takes responsibility. A tenant may call one number and get no reply.

The property manager may say the owner must approve repairs. The owner may live out of state. The tenant may not know where to send a formal request.

Clear contact details reduce that confusion. The tenant can send the repair request to the right place. The tenant can also send formal notices to the owner or authorized agent when the issue requires more than a basic maintenance ticket.

The law also helps local code enforcement. A city or county office needs to know who controls a property. A clear owner or agent record can reduce delay when a rental has repeat violations or unsafe conditions.

What Landlords Should Do Now

Landlords should treat this law as a lease compliance duty. A separate contact disclosure page can help. Add it to every new lease packet and keep proof that the tenant received it. Update the disclosure when the owner, manager, address, phone number, email, or portal changes.

A landlord can reduce risk with this simple checklist:

• Add the owner or authorized agent name and address.
• Add the property manager name and address.
• Add maintenance phone, email, or portal details.
• Save proof that the tenant received the disclosure.
• Send written updates when contact details change.
• Keep the disclosure with the lease file.

A property manager should also confirm that the owner has authorized the correct person to accept legal notices. This detail matters because legal papers must reach the right party. A tenant should not have to send a legal notice to a closed office, old email, or unknown owner.

Common Mistakes Landlords Should Avoid

Landlords should not treat this rule as a small formality. A missing contact sheet can become a serious issue when a tenant has a repair claim, code complaint, or court dispute. The law expects clear written information, not guesses.

Common mistakes include:

A landlord should also avoid oral-only updates. A phone call can help in an emergency, but a written update creates the record that the law expects.

What Tenants Should Check Before They Sign

A tenant should review the contact section before signing a Tennessee lease. Rent, deposit, and move-in date matter, but the contact page can matter just as much if a repair or legal issue appears later.

Ask these questions before move-in:

• Does the lease name the property manager?
• Does it list the manager’s mailing address?
• Does it identify the owner or authorized legal agent?
• Does it give a maintenance phone number, email, or portal?
• Does the portal work before the tenancy starts?
• Does the lease explain where formal notices must go?

A tenant should test the maintenance path early with a small non-urgent question. Save the reply. This step can show whether the system works before a serious repair issue appears.

What This Law Does Not Do

This law does not make every landlord mistake illegal. It does not erase rent duties. It does not give a tenant the automatic right to stop rent. It also does not replace repair laws, eviction notice rules, fair housing rules, local code rules, or security deposit rules.

The law gives tenants contact information and a remedy when that information is missing. That remedy has value, but tenants should still act with care.

A renter with a major repair issue should document the problem, send written notice, keep photos, save receipts, and seek local legal help if the condition affects health or safety.

Landlords should not treat the law as a tenant-only rule. It protects landlords too. Clear written contacts can stop confusion and help prove that the tenant had the right way to report a problem.

How This Law May Affect Repair Disputes

The law can help a tenant prove notice, but it does not prove the repair claim by itself. A tenant still needs records. Photos, videos, repair messages, inspection reports, and witness notes can all matter.

A strong repair record should show three things. First, it should show what the problem was. Second, it should show when the tenant told the landlord or manager. Third, it should show what happened after notice.

This is where the new Tennessee landlord tenant communication law has practical value. It gives tenants a clear path to the people who must receive those messages. That path can make repair proof much easier to organize.

FAQs About the New Tennessee Landlord Tenant Communication Law

What is the new Tennessee landlord tenant communication law?

The new Tennessee landlord tenant communication law requires landlords to give tenants written contact information for the property manager, owner or authorized agent, and maintenance contact at or before the start of the tenancy.

When did Tennessee HB 1814 take effect?

Tennessee HB 1814 took effect on January 1, 2025. It applies to rental agreements entered into on or after that date.

What contact information must a landlord provide in Tennessee?

A landlord must provide written details for the person authorized to manage the rental, the owner or agent authorized to receive notices and legal papers, and a phone number, email address, or online portal for maintenance or landlord-tenant communication.

What can a tenant do if the landlord does not provide contact information?

A tenant can send a written request. If the landlord does not provide the required information within 10 days, the tenant may file a court action to require disclosure. A court may also award costs and attorney fees if the landlord failed to comply.

Does this law force landlords to answer repair requests faster?

The law mainly requires clear contact information. It does not create a new repair response deadline by itself. Other Tennessee repair rules, lease terms, and local housing codes may still matter.

Can a Tennessee landlord use an online portal for tenant communication?

A landlord may use an online portal system designed for landlord-tenant communication. Tenants should still save screenshots, confirmations, and copies of all messages sent through the portal.

Should tenants send legal notices through a maintenance portal?

A tenant should be careful with legal notices. A maintenance portal may help report repairs, but a formal notice may need to go to the owner or authorized agent listed in the written disclosure. Tenants should save proof of every notice.

Conclusion

The new Tennessee landlord tenant communication law makes rental contact information a legal duty. A landlord must give tenants clear written details for the property manager, owner or authorized agent, and maintenance contact at or before the start of the tenancy.

The law took effect on January 1, 2025, and gives tenants a path to request missing information. If the landlord does not respond within 10 days after a written request, the tenant may seek a court order. A court may also award reasonable costs and attorney fees when the landlord or agent failed to comply.

This law does not end every rental dispute in Tennessee. It does give tenants and landlords a stronger record from the start. Tenants know who to contact.

Landlords keep cleaner files. Repair requests and formal notices have a clearer route. That one clear route can make a small housing issue easier to fix before it turns into a serious legal problem.

See Also Legal Guides:

• Landlord Tenant Lawyer: Protect Your Home and Rights
• HUD Ordered Housing Agencies to Verify Tenant Eligibility Status
• Need a Landlord Tenant Attorney? Read This First for Legal Help