HB 1814: What Tennessee’s New Landlord Transparency Law Means for Chattanooga Investors

If you own rental property in Chattanooga, Tennessee’s landlord transparency law has now been in effect for a full year. House Bill 1814, known as the Landlord Transparency Act, took effect on January 1, 2025. At this point, landlords are expected to be fully compliant.

The landlord transparency law was passed because too many tenants did not know who owned their rental home or who to contact when problems came up. Some properties were owned under anonymous LLCs. Other listings had phone numbers that were outdated or never answered. When repairs were needed, there was no way to request maintenance. Even worse, when disputes reached court, it was often unclear who was legally responsible. That lack of transparency created frustration for tenants and unnecessary complications for landlords. 

In this guide, we’ll explain what the Tennessee Landlord Transparency Act requires, the risks of noncompliance, and how to stay compliant while keeping your rental operations organized and profitable. With the right systems in place, you can meet the new transparency standards while protecting your investment and maintaining strong tenant relationships in Chattanooga. 

Understanding the Landlord Transparency Law in Tennessee

HB 1814 amends Tennessee’s existing landlord-tenant statutes by adding a landlord contact disclosure requirement. Under the Tennessee landlord transparency law, landlords, or anyone authorized to act on their behalf, must provide tenants with specific contact information in writing at or before move-in. 

The required disclosures include:

• The name and physical mailing address of the property owner or authorized representative
• The property management company’s information, if applicable
• A reliable method for submitting maintenance requests, with instructions for how tenants should use it
• A 24-hour emergency contact for urgent issues (burst pipes, heating failures in winter, security issues, etc.)
• An ongoing communication method for non-emergency concerns, such as phone, email, or an online portal

Simply listing an LLC name or a PO Box without identifying a real contact person is not enough. The law applies in counties governed by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, also known as URTLA. These are counties with populations over 75,000. Hamilton County falls under URTLA, meaning most Chattanooga rentals are covered. As a result, HB 1814 in Chattanooga directly affects properties in areas like Red Bank, East Brainerd, Hixson, and surrounding communities.

Key Requirements for Landlords Under HB 1814 in Chattanooga

HB 1814 ensures that tenants in Chattanooga have a real, reachable point of contact throughout their entire tenancy. The disclosure must be provided in writing and delivered before the tenant moves in. 

Most landlords include the required Tennessee landlord contact information disclosure in the lease packet, either as:

• A labeled section inside the lease, or
• A separate disclosure form that the tenant signs acknowledging receipt

Either format works, but it should be easy to locate and easy to prove later if a dispute arises.

The contact details you provide to the tenant must actually work. A phone number that is never answered, an email address that goes unchecked, or a repair portal that tenants cannot access undermines the purpose of the landlord transparency law. Judges evaluating landlord contact disclosure issues will look at whether tenants had a real way to communicate with the landlord, not just whether something was printed on paper.

You must also provide a 24-hour emergency contact for urgent situations such as major plumbing failures, loss of heat during winter, or security-related issues. Tenants should understand which issues qualify as emergencies and how to reach someone immediately when they occur.

If you’re an out-of-state investor, you must designate a Tennessee-based representative who can receive legal notices and respond to urgent tenant concerns. Simply listing an out-of-state address is not enough to meet the spirit or intent of the law.

Remember that compliance does not end at move-in. If ownership changes, management changes, or your contact details are updated, you must give tenants written notice with the new information. And if you purchase a property with tenants already in place, you are responsible for providing an updated landlord contact disclosure that identifies the new owner or responsible party. 

If you own multiple properties or change management, disclosure tracking can easily become overwhelming. You need a system that documents when notices were delivered, keeps signed copies in each tenant file, and flags when updates are required.

A spreadsheet may work, but only for a very small portfolio. Once you grow beyond a few units, property management software or working with a professional property management company can help ensure that disclosures are delivered, documented, and updated correctly. 

What Happens If Landlords Don't Comply?

If you fail to provide the required disclosures before move-in, a tenant can formally request the missing information. Once requested, you have 10 days to deliver it. If you still do not comply, the tenant may pursue legal action.

That said, the Tennessee Landlord Transparency Act does not automatically trigger fines or criminal penalties. In most cases, issues only come up when another dispute arises. The consequences generally fall into one of three areas:

• Reputational damage: If tenants can’t figure out who owns the property or can’t reach anyone when there’s an issue, they’re likely to get frustrated, and fast. That can lead to poor public reviews or complaints on social media. They may even contact local housing groups to complain. Once you are seen as unresponsive, that reputation can stick. It can attract lower-quality applicants, hurt the long-term value of your property, or slow down future leasing. 

• Weakened position in court: If you end up in court or defending a dispute, your paperwork becomes evidence. Judges reviewing disputes related to HB 1814 in Chattanooga will look beyond the immediate issue and evaluate whether you complied with required landlord contact disclosure procedures. If you cannot prove that you provided clear, written contact information as required, it can hurt your credibility.

• Delayed legal proceedings: Sometimes courts will require you to fix disclosure problems before moving forward with a case. That might mean providing missing paperwork, correcting notices, or rescheduling hearings. Delays cost time and money. If you are trying to collect rent or regain possession of the property, even a short delay can have a big financial impact.

HB 1814 may not create immediate penalties for noncompliance, but it can significantly weaken your position if a dispute arises later. Clear disclosures and updated contact information protect your credibility, reduce delays, and strengthen your rental business when it matters most.

How HB 1814 Changes Day-to-Day Operations for Chattanooga Investors

HB 1814 in Chattanooga raises expectations for how organized and accessible your rental operations must be. Disclosure language should now be built directly into your leasing process, along with documentation proving tenants received the required information before move-in.

Your communication systems need to be dependable. Tenants should know where to send maintenance requests, how to report emergencies, and who to contact with questions. If you provide a maintenance portal, someone should be monitoring it daily. If you list an emergency contact number, it must connect tenants to someone who can respond. Relying on scattered text messages or rarely checked email accounts creates gaps that can become serious issues.

All contact information should match across your documents and systems. If your lease lists one phone number but your tenant portal shows another, it can create confusion about which method is official, undermining compliance with landlord contact information disclosure requirements.

Tenant files should be organized and easy to access, showing when disclosures were delivered, what information was provided, and whether updates were issued after ownership or management changes. This becomes especially important when purchasing occupied properties. Some landlords prefer using email with read receipts or certified mail to create a paper trail.

For many investors, following the Tennessee Landlord Transparency Act means formalizing processes that were once handled informally. Review your lease template to confirm it includes a labeled section with owner or agent contact information, maintenance channels, and required landlord contact disclosures. Then check that the information matches what appears on online portals, rent reminders, and marketing materials.

If you manage properties yourself, this may require building documentation habits that feel more structured than before but offer legal protection. If you work with a property manager, it means confirming that consistent systems are already in place to meet these requirements.

Strategic Impact: Risk and Opportunity for Chattanooga Landlords

HB 1814 raises the bar for how rental properties are run in Chattanooga. If you already operate in an organized way, keep thorough records, and communicate well with tenants, this likely won’t feel like a major change. In many cases, it just means putting your existing systems in writing.

If you’ve handled tenant communication more informally, this law forces you to tighten things up. That might feel like extra work at first. Over time, though, better systems usually make the business easier to manage, not harder.

When tenants know exactly who to call and how to submit a request, small issues are less likely to turn into code complaints or court filings. Faster responses also lead to happier tenants. Tenants who feel heard are more likely to renew, which helps you reduce turnover and keep your property occupied. In a competitive market like Chattanooga, strong communication can also give you an edge, since well-run properties attract better applicants and make it easier to justify your rental price. 

For out-of-state investors, the requirement for a Tennessee-based contact reinforces something the market already rewards. Rentals perform better when someone local can respond quickly. Landlords who lean into HB 1814 instead of resisting it may actually find that their operations become stronger and their rental business more stable.

How a Professional Property Manager Simplifies HB 1814 Compliance

Working with a professional Chattanooga property management company can make compliance much easier. A local manager can serve as your designated in-state contact, which satisfies the requirement for a reachable owner or representative. For out-of-state investors, this removes the need to rely on a friend or family member to receive legal notices or respond to emergencies.

Most established management companies build the required landlord contact disclosure into their lease packages, move-in checklists, and tenant portals. That means every tenant receives consistent and legally appropriate information at the start of tenancy. If contact details change later, the manager handles notifications and documents delivery.

Professional managers also keep organized records. If a dispute arises years into a lease, they can produce documentation showing what information was provided and when. That reduces the risk that a missing form or outdated phone number turns into a credibility issue or gives the other side something to question.

Professional management takes HB 1814 compliance off your plate. Instead of becoming another ongoing task you have to monitor, it becomes a system that’s consistently handled behind the scenes.

Let Evernest Handle HB 1814 Compliance While You Scale

Before you update your lease or change your procedures, remember that no two rental situations are exactly alike. Your ownership structure, management setup, and even small wording differences in your lease can affect how the Tennessee Landlord Transparency Act applies to you. If you want to be confident you are handling compliance correctly for your specific properties, it is wise to review your documents and plans with a qualified Tennessee real estate attorney.

HB 1814 in Chattanooga makes transparency non-negotiable for landlords, but how you respond to it is up to you. You can treat compliance as another rule to manage and hope it never becomes an issue. Or you can use it as an opportunity to strengthen your systems, improve communication, and operate more professionally. The landlords who perform best under the Landlord Transparency Act won’t be the ones doing the minimum. They’ll be the ones who build transparency into the way they run their business.

If you would rather spend your time analyzing acquisitions and growing your portfolio than tracking disclosure updates and emergency contact documentation, Evernest can help. Our professional property management team can review your current leases, formalize your disclosure process, serve as your local point of contact, and manage your Chattanooga rentals with systems already designed to meet landlord transparency law requirements. Connect with Evernest today and position your properties for both protection and long-term performance.