Operative Text
If a written rental agreement requires the tenant to have utility services placed in the tenant's name and the tenant fails to do so within three (3) days of occupancy of the rented premises, the landlord may have such utility services terminated if the existing utility service is in the name of the landlord.
Under Tennessee Code Ann. § 66-28-521, when a written rental agreement obligates a tenant to place utility services in their own name, and the tenant does not do so within three days of moving in, the landlord is permitted to terminate those utilities—provided the existing service account is held in the landlord's name. This rule applies only when both conditions are met: the written lease contains such a requirement, and the utility account currently belongs to the landlord. The provision does not address utilities held in a third party's name or situations where no written agreement exists.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 66-28-521, landlords who include a utility-transfer requirement in their written lease agreements have a defined window to act if a tenant fails to comply. Compliant operators typically document the lease obligation clearly, track the three-day occupancy period, and verify that the utility account remains in their own name before exercising any termination right. Maintaining records of the lease provision, the occupancy date, and any communications with the tenant about the utility transfer can support a landlord's position if the matter is later disputed.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 66-28-521 establishes that a landlord's right to terminate utility services in this context is conditional—it applies only when the written lease requires the transfer, the tenant has not completed it within three days of occupancy, and the account is currently in the landlord's name. Tenants who believe a utility termination did not meet all of these conditions may have grounds to raise that as a concern, including by contacting a local tenant-rights organization or reviewing the Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act for related protections. Keeping a copy of the lease and any move-in documentation can be useful when evaluating whether the requirements of § 66-28-521 were actually satisfied.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.