66-28-507 - Absence, nonuse or abandonment by tenant.

66-28-507. Absence, nonuse or abandonment by tenant.

(a)  If the rental agreement requires the tenant to give notice to the landlord of an anticipated extended absence in excess of seven (7) days as required in § 66-28-404 and the tenant willfully fails to do so, the landlord may recover actual damages from the tenant.

(b)  During any absence of the tenant in excess of seven (7) days, the landlord may enter the dwelling unit at times reasonably necessary.

(c)  If the tenant abandons the dwelling unit, the landlord shall use reasonable efforts to rerent the dwelling unit at a fair rental. If the landlord rents the dwelling unit for a term beginning prior to the expiration of the rental agreement, the rental agreement is terminated as of the date of the new tenancy. If the tenancy is from month-to-month, or week-to-week, the term of the rental agreement for this purpose shall be deemed to be a month or a week, as the case may be.

[Acts 1975, ch. 245, § 4.203; T.C.A., § 64-2847.]