Cal. Civ. Code § 66-28-401
General maintenance and conduct obligations.
Operative Text
The tenant shall: (1) Comply with all obligations primarily imposed upon tenants by applicable provisions of building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety; (2) Keep that part of the premises that the tenant occupies and uses as clean and safe as the condition of the premises when the tenant took possession; (3) Dispose from the tenant's dwelling unit all ashes, rubbish, garbage, and other waste to the designated collection areas and into receptacles; (4) Not deliberately or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair or remove any part of the premises or permit any person to do so; and shall not engage in any illegal conduct on the premises; and (5) Act and require other persons on the premises, with the tenant's or other occupants' consent, to act in a manner that will not disturb the neighbors' peaceful enjoyment of the premises.
Tennessee Code Ann. § 66-28-401 sets out a list of baseline maintenance and conduct obligations that residential tenants must meet during their tenancy. The rule requires tenants to keep their portion of the premises in a condition at least as clean and safe as when they moved in, properly dispose of waste in designated areas, avoid deliberately or negligently damaging the property, refrain from illegal activity on the premises, and avoid disturbing neighbors' peaceful enjoyment. These obligations run alongside any applicable local building and housing code requirements that affect health and safety.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-401, compliant property operators typically document the condition of a unit at move-in—through written checklists, photographs, or video—so that a clear baseline exists for measuring whether a tenant has met the cleanliness and maintenance standard the statute establishes. Operators generally designate and communicate waste collection areas to residents so that the disposal obligations in the provision are unambiguous. When a tenant or their guests engage in conduct that damages the property, constitutes illegal activity, or disturbs neighbors, landlords typically address the issue through written notice procedures consistent with Tennessee's residential landlord-tenant framework.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 66-28-401 of the Tennessee Code describes the affirmative obligations tenants carry regarding cleanliness, waste disposal, property care, lawful conduct, and neighbor relations throughout a tenancy. Tenants who believe a landlord is attempting to hold them responsible for conditions that existed before move-in may find that documented move-in records—photos, written checklists, or correspondence—are relevant to that dispute. Tenants with questions about how these obligations interact with their rights under Tennessee's landlord-tenant law can consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 29, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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