The Safe at Home Act in Atlanta and the Greater Metro Atlanta Area – What You Need to Know as an Atlanta Landlord
There is no doubt that as a landlord in Atlanta or the Greater Metro Atlanta area, protecting your investment means more than collecting rent and maintaining your properties. Indeed, it also means staying current with new legal changes that shift landlord-tenant rights and obligations. With the recent passage of the “Safe at Home Act” (HB 404) in Georgia, residential rental landlord-tenant law in Atlanta and the Greater Metro Atlanta area just got more complex. If you do not understand what this law requires, you are not alone. However, not knowing the updates to Georgia landlord-tenants laws puts you at risk for legal disputes, penalties, or difficulty in evicting problematic tenants. To help Atlanta and Greater Metro Atlanta area landlords better understand the current state of landlord-tenant laws in Georgia, we explain the Safe and Home Act here and where to get legal help with your tricky tenant issues in Atlanta and the Greater Metro Atlanta area.
Georgia’s Safe at Home Act: The Basics of the New Law
The Safe at Home Act aims to provide greater protections to Georgia tenants. The Act, also known as Georgia’s HB 404, amends Georgia landlord-tenant laws, and is effective for leases entered or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. The law creates for the first time an express “warranty of habitability,” meaning that all rental premises must remain fit for human habitation throughout the term of tenancy. Landlords may not contract away this duty in a lease, even if the tenants agree to it. The Act also expands the definition of utilities, and forbids landlords from turning off these essential utilities until after the final disposition of any eviction case. The new Safe at Home Act also provides other protections to Atlanta and Greater Metro Atlanta area tenants. Speaking with an experienced Atlanta and Greater Metro Atlanta area landlord-tenant lawyer about the updates to the law and your specific landlord-tenant issue is the best way to ensure that your rental business fits squarely with the news laws, and can help prevent you from getting into challenging and frustrating landlord-tenant disputes.
Getting Legal Help with Your Landlord-Tenant Matters in Atlanta and the Greater Metro Atlanta Area
There is no question that it can be stressful for Atlanta and Greater Metro Atlanta are landlords to navigate the Safe at Home Act and other new landlord-tenant laws. However, it is also certain that being up-to-speed on landlord-tenant law updates in Georgia is critical to protecting your hard-earned investment. If you are in the Atlanta or Greater Metro Atlanta area and you need legal help with your landlord-tenant matter, it is important to speak with an experienced Atlanta and Greater Metro Atlanta area landlord-tenant lawyer about your case. The experienced Atlanta and Greater Metro Atlanta area landlord-tenant lawyers at Evans Law are here to help Atlanta and Greater Metro Atlanta area landlords with their tricky landlord-tenant issues. Contact Evans Law today and speak with a lawyer now.
Source:
legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20232024/229083
