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  • Wave of evictions expected in Tennessee as moratorium ends: What you need to know

    September 8, 2020

  • Thousands of Tennesseans could soon be left homeless as the eviction moratorium has ended. However, landlords can’t kick people out just yet.

    According to global advisory firm Stout, in Tennessee, there could be more than 280,000 potential eviction filings over the next few months.

    Legal Aid Society Housing & Consumer Attorney Kerry Dietz says landlords have tried taking matters into their own hands and evicting people, but she wants people to know that is illegal.

    “That has been the law, is the law, will be the law in Tennessee,” she says.

     

    During the pandemic, she says a landlord tried to force one of her clients out by shutting off her utilities and then one evening came to her home and escalated even further.

    “They brought out power tools and started trying to physically remove her door, the front door of her home, to get in in an attempt to force her out.”

    She sued and won, postponing the eviction.

    Dietz says a landlord can’t force you to leave until they have a judgment of possession and writ of possession from the court.

    The federal moratorium on evictions for those who receive government-assisted housing or those with federally backed mortgages ended on July 24th, but landlords must give at least 30-days’ notice of eviction for the non-payment of rent.

    “It’s a little different than what Tennessee law has been, but since that is the federal law, that will stand over the Tennessee law,” she says.

    The Nashville General Sessions court is set to start processing evictions on August 31st.

    Dietz says, right now, they’re still waiting for the shoe to drop and she expects there will be a big wave of evictions.

    The Legal Aid Society has a list of resources available across the state: https://las.org/covid-19-tennessee-resources/

    You may also visit United Way for additional resources: https://www.unitedway.org/