Each Memphis guide answers one question — eviction, deposit, repairs, rent, entry, habitability — with the local office and the Tennessee chapter. We do not invent a local deadline.
Confirm URLTA for Shelby, then City code
Tennessee’s uniform act is not automatic everywhere. Confirm for Shelby County. Memphis Code Enforcement handles conditions. A Nashville Metro process is not a Memphis process.
What if I got a notice in Memphis?
Read it for a court name, a case number, or an appearance date. A landlord notice is usually a step. Court papers mean a case has been filed in Shelby County General Sessions — landlord-tenant. Date it, photograph every page, and call legal aid the same day if a court is named. Do not guess the deadline from a national chart.
What if the unit is not livable?
Write the problem, date it, and keep photos. Open a request with Memphis 311 or dial 311. An inspector’s dated notice is often worth more later than unanswered texts. Rent withholding and repair-and-deduct are Tennessee questions — ask legal aid before you skip a payment.
What if the deposit did not come back?
The clock, the cap, and the itemization rules live mainly in Tennessee law. Confirm URLTA adoption for Shelby County. Memphis Code Enforcement is the conditions door. Gather the lease, move-out photos, the forwarding address you gave, and any deduction list, then open the Tennessee deposit page.
What if the rent went up?
A lease still in term is not the same as month-to-month. Whether Memphis adds a local cap or just-cause rule is a coverage question — Confirm URLTA adoption for Shelby County. Memphis Code Enforcement is the conditions door. Keep the letter. Confirm the Tennessee chapter and the City office before you treat a percentage you saw online as the law.
What if they keep coming in without notice?
Entry rules in Memphis start with Tennessee law and the lease. Emergencies, repairs, and showings are not always the same notice. Write the date and time. Memphis 311 may take a complaint. This desk does not invent an hour-count.
What if heat, water, or the structure fails?
That is a habitability problem. Photograph it, write the date, and open a request with Memphis 311 or 311. If it is dangerous tonight — a gas leak, no heat in winter, a collapsed ceiling — treat it as an emergency. Do not skip rent on a rumor.
Does URLTA apply in Shelby County?
Tennessee’s uniform act is not automatic everywhere. Confirm for Shelby County. Memphis Code Enforcement and 311 are the conditions doors. General Sessions hears many evictions. A Nashville Metro process is not a Memphis process.
Official Memphis offices
Confirm URLTA adoption for Shelby County. Memphis Code Enforcement is the conditions door. The Tennessee chapter is Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Tenn. Code §§ 66-28-101 to 66-28-523). We name it. We do not paraphrase a number out of it.
Memphis renter questions
Can my landlord in Memphis evict me without going to court?
No. Changing locks, shutting off utilities, or dumping belongings is not how possession is completed. Shelby County General Sessions — landlord-tenant is where those cases are heard. If the paper names a court, a case number, or an appearance date, call legal aid the same day. Confirm URLTA adoption for Shelby County. Memphis Code Enforcement is the conditions door.
How do I get my security deposit back in Memphis?
Deposit caps, itemization, and return deadlines are usually Tennessee questions — sometimes with a city overlay. Photograph the unit, return keys the way the lease requires, and keep a forwarding address. Confirm the chapter on the Tennessee page. This desk does not reprint a dollar cap or a day-count.
Who inspects repairs in Memphis?
Memphis 311 is the local conditions door, and 311 is often how you open a request. Put the repair in writing first and keep photos. Do not skip rent on a rumor — ask legal aid before you change what you pay. Confirm URLTA adoption for Shelby County. Memphis Code Enforcement is the conditions door.
Does Memphis have local rent rules on top of Tennessee?
Confirm URLTA adoption for Shelby County. Memphis Code Enforcement is the conditions door.
Does URLTA apply in Shelby County?
Tennessee’s uniform act is not automatic everywhere. Confirm for Shelby County. Memphis Code Enforcement and 311 are the conditions doors. General Sessions hears many evictions. A Nashville Metro process is not a Memphis process.
What number should I call in Memphis?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. Local City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. Memphis 311 does not replace legal aid when a case is filed.
National answers on this desk
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org