Tenant Rights
If you have a dispute with your landlord, or with a tenant of rental property that you own, the State of Georgia offers a place to go to learn about your rights and responsibilities that the courts of our state enforce.
Although no state agency can intervene in your dispute or compel either party to take action, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA, which oversees housing issues) has contracted with the Georgia Legal Services Program to offer a Landlord-Tenant Hotline, 404-463-1596 (metro Atlanta) or 800-369-4706 (toll-free within Georgia).
The hotline does not take complaints but does provide information about the law and general advice to Georgians with questions about residential landlord/tenant issues. In addition to this service, DCA publishes The Landlord/Tenant Handbook: Questions Frequently Asked by Tenants and Landlords. This publication covers rental property management; lease and rental agreements and their termination or renewal; security deposits; payment of rent; repairs and maintenance; eviction and dispossession; and the state and federal fair housing laws. You can request a copy when you call the hotline.
DCA also publishes a Fair Housing Brochure in both English and Spanish and a Section 8 Landlord Handbook. All of the above publications are available online on the DCA website under "Rental Assistance." Because these brochures are not a substitute for legal counsel, however, you should seek help from a private attorney if you cannot resolve your problem. State Bar of Georgia (404-527-8700 or 800-334-6865) can give you information on locating an attorney or your local Georgia Legal Services Program office.
Click here to read the Georgia landlord-tenant law (Ga. Code Ann. §§ 44-7-1 to 44-7-81)