Rental Property Rules in Clarksville, TN

If you live in Clarksville or are thinking about moving there, rental property rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Clarksville has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of rental property rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Repairs & Habitability

Clarksville's Property Maintenance Code bars anyone from occupying or renting out a dwelling unit that lacks a kitchen sink, lavatory, tub or shower, flush toilet, working heat, and hot water reaching 120 degrees. Sec. 4-603 spells out room sizes, kitchen equipment, and smoke detectors unit by unit, and a landlord can't let a unit that falls short of any listed facility.

Key details: Governing law: Property Maintenance Code Sec. 4-603. Hot water minimum: 120°F at every fixture. Bathroom room size: 30 sq ft, no dimension under 4 ft. Unvented gas heaters: barred from bedrooms. Smoke detector standard: UL 217, audible alarm required.

A unit that fails to supply required plumbing, hot water, heat, kitchen equipment, or a working smoke detector is cited under Sec. 4-603, with cases heard in Clarksville City Court. Chronically noncompliant buildings can be declared nonconforming nuisances under Sec. 4-604, and the city can withhold electric and water service to the structure under Sec. 4-605 until repairs bring it back into compliance.

Just Cause Eviction

Tennessee's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act applies in Montgomery County, so no reason is required to end a tenancy, only proper written notice. Month-to-month ends on 30 days; most lease breaches carry 14 days to cure.

Key details: Just cause required: No. URLTA applies here: Yes, county over 75,000. Month-to-month notice: 30 days written. Lease-breach cure period: 14 days. Violence or danger notice: Three days.

Self-help is barred: 66-28-517(d) forbids cutting electric, gas, or other essential service. Possession requires a detainer warrant and judgment; willful holdover adds actual damages plus attorney's fees.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Clarksville gives residents more flexibility on just cause eviction.

Rental Registration

Clarksville runs no registration, licensing, or inspection program for long-term rentals. Only short-term rental units need a permit. Substandard conditions are handled after the fact through the Property Maintenance Code and the unfit-dwelling process.

Key details: Rental registration: No program. Rental inspections: Complaint-driven only. Governing code: Title 4, Chapter 6. Resident petition threshold: Five city residents. Short-term rentals: Permit required, Title 5.

No penalty attaches to failing to register, because no registration exists. A dwelling found unfit can be ordered repaired or vacated, and section 4-605 withholds city electric and water service.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Clarksville gives residents more flexibility on rental registration.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Clarksville gives residents more room on rental property rules. 2 of the 3 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

These rules come from Clarksville's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.