Clock Ticking To Get Rent Relief Before Evictions Begin

The national ban on evictions will expire on July 31, but renters still have options to try to remain in their home.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands Attorney Bill Bush said landlords cannot lock out, force out or shut utilities off to get someone off the property. Bush said if a tenant is not out by the date on eviction notice they will get a summons to court.

Bush said if a renter has been affected by COVID and cannot pay, the time is now to contact the Tennessee Housing Development Agency for rent relief.

“Their rent may be able to get paid up and even stay on the premise and prevent the eviction,” Bush said. “Of course, that requires the cooperation of the landlord to do all that but the rent assistance money actually goes directly to the landlord.”

Bush said Upper Cumberland renters can contact the Legal Aid Society if they get a court summons to see about assistance with their case. Bush said if renters take their case to court, they need to present why they dispute either the eviction or the amount of money their landlord is requesting.

He said renters should try and see what can be done to avoid a legal situation.

“See if something can be worked out, either with this rent assistance program or making some payment agreement,” Bush said. “Maybe their circumstances have improved and they can do that. See if something can be worked out, if people are sued and receive a detainer summons and would like legal assistance they can contact us.”

Bush said the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands has legal aid information online at las.org for anyone fearing eviction. He said renters need to remember through this process that rent will still be due, no matter the situation if they’ve been living in someone’s property.

“Evictions have been halted all this time, the rent liability has not,” Bush said. “The tenants still owe the rent.”