Tenants at Foreclosure Act Know your rights as a renter of a foreclosed property under the new federal law
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
How does a landlord remove a tenant in a dispossessory action?
(Separate Website)
A brief audio presentation ...
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Information for Tenants
Many people who rent a place to live do not have a basic knowledge of the duties and rights involved. If there is a written lease, it will describe some of the duties of the tenant. A written lease will also explain some of the duties of the landlord. Even if there is not a written lease, tenants and landlords have the legal duties to each other.
By: Elder Law Committee of State Bar of Georgia
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Korean / 한국어
Georgia Landlord Tenant Handbook, Ninth Edition, April 2005 This Handbook is designed to answer common residential landlord-tenant questions relating to the following topics: Rental Property and the Law, Lead Paint Disclosure Requirement, Leases and Rental Agreements, Lease Termination and Renewal. Military Servicemembers as Tenants, Security Deposits, Rent Payments and Other Charges, Repairs and Maintenance, Evictions and the Dispossessory Process, Questions Asked About Fair Housing. This booklet was first prepared and published in November of 1985. This ninth edition was madepossible by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs through a contract with Georgia
Legal Services Program.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Rent Payments (Answers to Common Questions)
This document answers common questions about a tenant's rights and obligations in connection with rent payments.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Rental Property Management and the Law
(Separate Website)
This webpage contains basic legal information about the management of residential rental property in Georgia.
By: Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Renting a Home
This document describes the basic rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants, excerpted from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
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Spanish / Español
Brochure on Fair Housing Laws The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race or color, national origin, religion, sex , familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18), and handicap (disability).
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WPD File
Repairs to Rental Property Landlords are responsible for keeping their rental property in good repair. If the condition of the rental property changes from its condition at the time the tenant moved-in, the landlord must repair the structure or thing to its original condition. Even if you do not have a written lease your landlord is obligated under state law to make repairs. Any lease provision which makes the tenant responsible for repairs is challengeable under Georgia law. A landlord is also responsible for meeting all local ordinances and minimum safety standards.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
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WPD File
What is a security deposit, and why do I have to pay it?
(Separate Website)
A brief audio explanation ..
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
My landlord is not making repairs as he should. What can I do?
(Separate Website)
A brief audio explanation ...
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
What if the landlord refuses to give back the security deposit even though the tenant deserves to have the money refunded?
(Separate Website)
A brief audio explanation ...
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
When can a landlord remove a tenant?
(Separate Website)
A brief audio explanation ...
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Early Termination of a Lease (Answers to Common Questions)
This document contains the answers to common questions about terminating a lease earlier than what is written in the lease contract.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
What Happens to Tenants When the Property They Are Renting Is Foreclosed?
This document describes tenants' rights when the mortgage by their landlord on the property they are renting from the landlord has been foreclosed.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
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Georgia State Fire Code
(Separate Website)
This Georgia State Minimum Standard Code (the International Fire Code) establishes regulations affecting or relating to structures, processes and premises and safeguards from the hazards of fire and explosion arising from the storage, handling or use of structures, materials or devices; from conditions hazardous to life, property or public welfare in the occupancy of structures or premises; and from fire hazards in the structure or on the premise from occupancy or operation. It also applies to the construction, extension, repair, alteration or removal of fire suppression and alarm systems.
By: Georgia.gov
Life Skills for Homeowners and Renters
Whether you own your own home or rent a house or apartment, there are a number of things you need to know and do to protect yourself from things like eviction, foreclosure, or overpaying for services. This guide sets out a number of life skills that you need to keep in mind in your daily business.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
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Spanish / Español
Rental Property and Satellite Dishes and other Antennas
Federal law prohibits restrictions that keep you from installing, maintaining or using antennas to receive video programming. This rule applies to owned property and to rental property where the renter has exclusive use of the area in which the antenna is installed, such as a balcony or patio. The rule also applies to antennas that receive and transmit fixed wireless signals as long as the antennas meet size limitations on property that they own or rent.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Repairs to Rented Property (Answers to Common Questions)
This document answers common questions about getting repairs made to property that you are renting.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
What is a Landlord Tenant Relationship?
This documents answers common questions about landlord and tenant relationships and rights.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Why is the Lease Important?
This documents provides basic information about what leases are, the ways a lease protects the tenant and the important issues that residential lease should cover.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
How Do I Find A Place to Rent? Finding a good place to live at an affordable price is not easy. You can use the website Georgia Housing Search (www.georgiahousingsearch.org) which contains information on affordable rental units. You can search by area and find a list of units, the unit?s bedroom size, the monthly rent and the security deposit charged. This is a great place to start your housing search. If you do not have access to the internet in your home, your local library has computers and internet access that you can use.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Other Formats:
WPD File
Need Help Finding Rental Housing?
(Separate Website)
purpose is to provide information on the availability of affordable rental housing throughout the State in an Internet friendly environment. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs does not screen postings to this site and does not screen landlords and/or prospective tenants using this site. DCA has no way of independently verifying the information posted by a potential tenant or a landlord. More specifically,
Users of this site are not screened by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs;
Criminal background checks and/or reference checks are not done by DCA on site users; and,
DCA has not inspected properties posted on this site and makes no warranties or representations as to the conditions of the site or the information posted.
The rental of a housing unit, whether for money or for free, is a legal arrangement between the owner of the property and the tenant. Both the owner and the renter should always exercise your normal process of due diligence before entering into an agreement to rent a unit, either as the owner or the renter, or to provide shelter free of charge. Further information about Georgia's Fair Housing law can be found in the Landlord Tenant Handbook or by calling the Georgia Landlord Tenant Hotline at 1-800-369-4706.
By: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
Rent and Deposit Assistance Agencies for Atlanta and Fulton County
This document contains a list and the contact information for all of the agencies that provide rent assistance and security deposit assistance to Atlanta and Fulton County residents.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Renter’s Assistance
(Separate Website)
Looking for an apartment or house to rent? It can be both exciting - and frustrating. Click the link to read more about it.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Spanish / Español
100 Questions and Answers About Buying a New Home
(Separate Website)
This web page from the web site of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, answers common questions about buying new homes.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Brochures for the Home Buyer/OwnHome Program of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs
(Separate Website)
DCA's Home Buyer & OwnHOME Loan Programs are available to qualified borrowers statewide who meet certain income restrictions and who are purchasing homes within certain purchase price restrictions. In addition, borrowers must have modest assets and the willingness to repay the loan. DCA's Steps to Becoming a Home Owner can help potential home buyers learn more about the home buying process. Go to this web site to get brochures and workbooks (in English and Spanish)which you may download and print out in PDF format.
By: Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
Buying vs. Renting a Home
(Separate Website)
There are many advantages to buying a home versus renting one. This web site helps you compare the two situations. View these advantages in the Buy vs. Rent Comparison Chart, or view a financial comparison of buying versus renting in the Buy vs. Rent Calculator.
By: Ginnie Mae
Common Questions of First-time Homebuyers
(Separate Website)
This document contains frequently asked questions that first-time homebuyers have about purchasing a home.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Life Skills for Homeowners and Renters
Whether you own your own home or rent a house or apartment, there are a number of things you need to know and do to protect yourself from things like eviction, foreclosure, or overpaying for services. This guide sets out a number of life skills that you need to keep in mind in your daily business.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Workbook for First-Time Homebuyers: A Home of Your Own
(Separate Website)
This workbook describes the steps to take to prepare yourself for home-ownership and walks you through the process of purchasing your own home in Georgia. The document may be downloaded in PDF format. The workbook was developed by the Consumer Credit Counselling Services of Greater Atlanta, Inc. under contract to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
By: Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Federal Mortgage Programs
(Separate Website)
This document contains information about federal programs to help you purchase your own home with a low-cost mortgage.
HUD's Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has mortgage insurance to help you become a homeowner. FHA doesn't actually make loans. Instead, it insures loans so that if buyers default for some reason, the lenders will get their money. This encourages lenders to give mortgages to people who might not otherwise qualify for a loan. You may be able to get an FHA loan 3% down, or even less! Talk to an FHA-approved lender about itto see if an FHA loan might be right for you.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
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Spanish / Español
Ginnie Mae Homeownership Center
(Separate Website)
This web site provides information about (1) mortgages, including mortgate math, (2) choosing a home, real estate agent, and mortgage loan, (3) the process and paperwork involved in getting a mortgage, (4) the process and paperwork involved in closing on a home, and (5) credit counseling.
By: Ginnie Mae
HOME Investment Partnerships Program
(Separate Website)
HOME provides formula grants to States and localities that communities use—often in partnership with local nonprofit groups—to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy, and/or rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership or provide direct rental assistance to low-income people.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Spanish / Español
Good Neighbor Next Door Homeownership Opportunity
(Separate Website)
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) wants to make American
communities stronger and to build a safer nation. Public safety improves when police
officers, pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers and firefighters/emergency medical technicians live in a neighborhood. The Good Neighbor Next Door (GNND) program helps make this goal a reality by making homeownership faster and more affordable
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Programs in the State of Georgia that make Homeownership Affordable
(Separate Website)
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs' (DCA) Home Buyer & OwnHOME Loan Programs are available to qualified borrowers statewide who meet certain income restrictions and who are purchasing homes within certain purchase price restrictions. In addition, borrowers must have modest assets and the willingness to repay the loan. DCA's Steps to Becoming a Home Owner can help potential home buyers learn more about the home buying process.
By: Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
Rural Housing Service Section 502 Program
Section 502 loans are primarily used to help low-income individuals or households purchase homes in rural areas.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
The Nehemiah Program
(Separate Website)
The Nehemiah Program® exists to help people become homeowners. The Nehemiah Program® provides gift funds for down payment and closing costs to qualified buyers using an eligible loan program, such as FHA. Gift funds of 1% to 6% of the contract sales price can be requested, depending on the particular needs of the buyer.
By: The Nehemiah Program
Affordability Calculator: How Much Can You Spend to Buy a House?
(Separate Website)
This web site allows you to calculate how much you can afford to spend on a home.
By: Ginnie Mae
Basics of Borrowing and Credit in Georgia
This document discusses the basic law relating to borrowing and credit, including: What do people do when they do not have the cash to buy something they need? What is credit? What is the difference between a loan and a credit sale? What is the difference between secured and unsecured credit? What is open-end credit? What is closed-end credit? What do you do if you find a mistake in your monthly credit card statement? The document is excerpted from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
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Spanish / Español
Basics of Obtaining Credit in Georgia
This document discusses the basic law relating to borrowing and credit, answering the following questions: How do you get credit if you do not have it? What happens if your credit report is wrong? What if you are denied credit because of discrimination? How much does credit cost? What does a creditor have to disclose to you before you sign up for a credit card? How do usury laws regulate credit cards? The document is an excerpt from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Finding a Home to Buy
(Separate Website)
Looking for a home is an exciting project, one which will take time to thoroughly research. Do you know what you want in a home? How will you match what you are looking for in a home with the features that the homes on the market have? The following is a list of some of the items you may consider: (1) Size of home, number of bedrooms, baths, (2) Region of the country; which city? (3) Location of home; is it close to schools and shopping? (4) Type of home, (5) Age of home
This web site contains more information about these types of considerations.
By: Ginnie Mae
Georgia Fair Housing Law
(Separate Website)
The Georgia Fair Housing Law prohibits discrimination in housing and housing-related activities because of a person’s race, color, national origin, sex, familial Status (children under 18), and disability.
By: Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Home Purchase Traps: Problems to Avoid When You Buy a Home
Buying a house is part of the American Dream. Many first-time homebuyers are so eager to fulfill that dream that they leap into the housing market ready to take the first good deal that comes their way. But the housing market is full of 'good deals' that are really traps to catch the unwary and take their money. This brochure will help you recognize and avoid these traps so that your new home doesn't turn out to be more - or less - than you bargained for.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Homes for Sale
(Separate Website)
Several federal agencies have properties to sell. In fact, HUD sells both single family homes and multifamily properties. Check them out - one might be just what you're looking for!
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
HUD Homes (Answers to Common Questions)
(Separate Website)
This web page explains how to buy a HUD Home and provides links to properties that are available near you for purchase from HUD. When someone with a mortgage insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can't meet their payments, the lender forecloses on the home. HUD pays the lender what is owed and HUD takes ownership of the home. Then HUD sells it at market value as quickly as possible.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Making the Purchase of a Home
(Separate Website)
What happens when you've found your dream home and qualified for the loan? You will begin what is known as the closing or settlement process. The closing process is the period between the day you receive your loan approval and the day you finalize the purchase of your home. This web site tells you more about the closing process.
By: Ginnie Mae
Purchase and Sale Contract to Buy a Home
(Separate Website)
This purchase and sale contract establishes your rights and obligations and also provides for penalties for non-performance or default. In Georgia, a contract for the purchase and sale of real property must be in writing to be enforceable. There is no one standard contract form in this state, but the most widely used form is one published by the Georgia Association of Realtors. No matter which preprinted, fill-in-the-blank form you use, it should address a number of issues. . .
By: Georgia Real Estate Closing Attorneys Association
Title Insurance
(Separate Website)
A title insurance policy covers or protects the owner of the policy against claims involving ownership of the property, liens against the property and marketability of the property. There are two types of policies: lender's, or mortgagee, and owner's. All lenders require title insurance for the amount of the loan to protect them against the above claims. In Georgia, unlike some states, a seller is not required to provide an owner's title policy to the purchaser.
By: Georgia Real Estate Closing Attorneys Association
Homebuyer Education Agencies
(Separate Website)
Attending a Home Buyer Education Seminar, Workshop or Pre-purchase Counseling session is usually required for first time home buyers. Even if not required, attending a home buyer education presentation will be beneficial in learning the people you will encounter as well as what should happen with each step to your dream of home ownership.
By: Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
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