Updated May 26, 2023
A Tennessee eviction notice is given by a landlord to a tenant to provide notice of a lease violation. The landlord is required to describe the offense and enter the time period the tenant must comply with the demands. If the tenant resolves the matter, the lease will continue as if the issue never occurred. Otherwise, the landlord will be able to file an eviction lawsuit (Forcible Entry and Detainer) at the General Sessions Court.
By Type (5)
Immediate Notice to Quit (Prostitution or Drug Violations) – This form is for use when a tenant is engaged in certain kinds of illegal behavior for which the landlord can have them removed immediately.
Download: Adobe PDF
3-Day Notice to Quit (Illegal Behavior) – This form is for any other kinds of illegal behavior that are an immediate threat. Tenant cannot cure this type of behavior and will have to vacate within 3 days.
Download: Adobe PDF
14-Day Notice to Quit (Non-Payment of Rent)– This form is for use when a tenant fails to pay rent on time. A landlord must give tenant 14 days to pay.
Download: Adobe PDF
30-Day Notice to Quit (Non-Compliance)– This form is for use when there is a breach of the lease other than for damage or for non-payment of rent. The tenant has 30 days to vacate before the landlord may seek eviction.
Download: Adobe PDF
30-Day Notice to Quit (Month-to-Month Tenancy) – This form is for use when a party seeks to inform the other party that they do not intend to renew a month-to-month tenancy.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Table of Contents |
Eviction Laws
- Rent Grace Period: 5 days to be eligible for charging late fees. § 66-28-201(d)
- Non-Payment of Rent: 14 days. § 66-28-505(a)(2) & § 66-7-109
- Non-Compliance: 30 days. § 66-7-109(b)
- Illegal Behavior: 3 days. § 66-28-517
- Prostitution or Drug Violations: Immediate. § 66-7-107(a)
- Termination (Month-to-Month Lease): 30 days. § 66-28-512(b)
- Eviction Lawsuit: Forcible entry and detainer. Title 29, Chapter 18 (Forcible Entry and Detainer)
Court Forms
Detainer Summons – Used by landlords when a tenant fails to vacate a rental unit and an eviction is needed to remove the individual from the premises.
Writ of Possession – Issued by the court after a landlord prevails in an eviction lawsuit. This document proves that the landlord is entitled to reclaim possession of the rental unit.
When is Rent Due?
Rent is considered late if it is not received on the date specified in the lease between the landlord and tenant. The landlord must notify the tenant that he or she has fourteen (14) days to pay before the landlord may terminate the lease.
How to Evict (Process)
Step 1 – Before beginning an eviction process in court, a landlord must notify the tenant in writing about a breach. Depending on the breach, the tenant may have 14 days or 30 days to cure. Other breaches are not curable and tenant must be out of the premises on the date specified. Types of notices are as follows:
- Immediate Notice to Quit (Prostitution or Drug Violations)
- 3-Day Notice to Quit (Illegal Behavior)
- 14-Day Notice to Quit (Non-Payment)
- 30-Day Notice to Quit (Non-Compliance)
- 30-Day Notice to Quit (Month to Month Tenancy)
Step 2 – If the tenant does not respond satisfactorily to the notices, the landlord may file a Detainer Summons with the local General Sessions Court. The General Sessions Court must have jurisdiction over the location of the rented premises. The court will set a hearing date.
Step 3 – You will have to hire the local Sheriff to serve the tenant with the Detainer Warrant.
Step 4 – The hearing will be at least 6 days from the date that the tenant was served. If tenant fails to appear or the landlord proves his case, the court will issue a Writ of Possession, which will entitle Landlord to possession of the Premises. This authorizes to have the Sheriff remove tenant if tenant continues to fail to vacate.
How To Write (Notice To Quit)
1 – Assemble the Documents
Find a copy of the Lease binding the Issuer and Recipient of the Notice you must send. This will be useful when filling out the form. The form may be downloaded as three different file types: PDF, ODT, and Word. Each one will have a button on this page just beneath the file image on this page.
2 – Describe Recipient
Locate the words “Tennessee Notice To Quit,” then fill in the Full Name of the Recipient this Notice must be delivered to.
3 – Confirm the Lease Details
You will need to report some of the information on this Lease concerning the Rented Property’s Location in the first statement. Determine the City, County, and Zip Code of the Rented Property and document this information on the first three blank spaces. The next space will require the Street Address of the Rented Property, composed of the building “number and street.” The last blank space is provided in the case the Lease lists an Apartment Number for the Rented Property.
Next, find the Signature Date finalizing the Lease. The next statement will call for the Day, Month, and Year of the Lease Signature Date to be supplied in their respective blank spaces.
4 – Give a Definition to the Notice
The next area, below the phrase in the parenthesis (“Check Appropriate Box”), will have several statements one may choose from depending upon the purpose behind generating this Notice. Choose one of the boxes below to indicate this purpose.
“Nonpayment – Within fourteen” shall indicate to a Tenant(s), they have Fourteen Days to pay for an unreasonably late payment or allow the Landlord to reclaim the Leased Property. The blank spaces in this section require that several Details be supplied: Name of an Authorized Agent, Total Sum of Money the Recipient owes for Rent, the Sum of Money the Recipient must pay to remain on the property, and the Time Period the compulsory payment applies to.
“Noncompliance – Within thirty” shall inform Notice Recipients they have Thirty Days to effectively cure a violation to the Lease or let the Landlord assume possession of the Leased Property. The blank space in this sentence will require the violation be defined.
“Illegal Behavior – Within three” shall inform Recipients they have Three Days to surrender possession of the Leased Property to the Landlord as a result of engaging in Illegal Behavior. The blank space here requires a specific definition to the Illegal Behavior the Recipient is guilty of.
“Month To Month Tenancy – I am your Landlord” shall notify Monthly Tenants they have (at the minimum) Thirty Days to move out and allow the Landlord possession of the Property. The blank spaces in this statement must have the exact Date the Monthly Lease ends reported.
“Month To Month Tenancy – I am your Tenant” shall notify Landlords that in Thirty Days the Monthly Tenant intends to move out, return possession of the Monthly Rental to the Landlord, and Terminate the Monthly Lease Agreement. If this is the case the Notice Recipient must receive this document Thirty Days or more prior to the Tenant’s leaving. The blank spaces will need the Day, Month, and Year of the Monthly Agreement Termination recorded.
5 – Landlord Intent Notification
Underneath the Notification Statement section will be a paragraph stating the issuing Landlord’s expectation the Tenant will comply with the Terms of this document. The Landlord/Agent issuing this document and causing Delivery must provide his or her Signature on the blank line just after this statement.
6 – Validating The Delivery
Only the Deliverer of this paperwork may fill in the information required by the “Certificate of Delivery” section. The individual effectively Delivering this document must provide some information regarding its Delivery. This may be done, here at the bottom of the page. The Date of Delivery and the Recipient Name of this document must be supplied on the spaces provided in the first statement by the Deliverer. The next three sentences will each have a check box. This area must have one check box marked as it will allow the Agent to define how this paperwork was delivered (directly, left with a reliable individual who effects Delivery, or through U.S.P.S. First Class Mail).
