What happens if a tenant breaks a lease in Tennessee?
In Tennessee, a landlord whose tenant abandons the unit must use reasonable efforts to re-rent it at a fair rental. If the landlord re-rents the unit for a term that starts before the rental agreement expires, the agreement ends on the date of the new tenancy. The act also says an aggrieved party has an obligation and duty to mitigate damages. These rules are in the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, which applies only in counties with a population of more than 75,000 under the 2010 federal census. Separately, federal law lets a servicemember end a lease early after receiving qualifying military orders. This is Tenn. Code §§ 66-28-507, 66-28-515, 66-28-102.
| What | Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Landlord’s duty to re-rent | Required by statute |
| What it means | The landlord must make reasonable efforts to re-rent |
Source
Tenn. Code §§ 66-28-507, 66-28-515, 66-28-102
Read the statute in the Tennessee Code (Tennessee General Assembly): capitol.tn.gov.
The linked sections open Justia’s free copy of the code, because the state’s own site has no stable address for each section.
Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora keeps every lease’s term, rent and signers in one record and dates every change to it. This page states the state’s rule so a lease’s own early-termination and sublet clauses can be checked against it before the lease is signed.
Guides on this rule
- Breaking a Lease by State: What the Tenant Owes — What a tenant owes after leaving a lease early, and the 34 states whose statutes say whether the landlord must try to re-rent the home.
Compare this rule in every state
More Tennessee rules
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- How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Tennessee?
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- Is there a grace period for paying rent in Tennessee?
- What are squatters’ rights in Tennessee?
- Is there rent control in Tennessee?
- Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Tennessee?
- Do contractors charge sales tax in Tennessee?
- Is appliance repair taxable in Tennessee?
- Every Tennessee rule on one page
The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas