Cal. Civ. Code § 44-7-36
Exemptions for certain rental units.
Operative Text
Code Sections 44-7-31, 44-7-32, 44-7-33, and 44-7-35 shall not apply to rental units which are owned by a natural person if such natural person, his or her spouse, and his or her minor children collectively own ten or fewer rental units; provided, however, that this exemption does not apply to units for which management, including rent collection, is performed by third persons, natural or otherwise, for a fee.
Under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-36, certain Georgia landlord-tenant code provisions—specifically §§ 44-7-31, 44-7-32, 44-7-33, and 44-7-35—do not apply to rental units owned by an individual person (not a corporation or other entity) when that person, their spouse, and their minor children together own ten or fewer rental units. This exemption is lost, however, if a third party is paid to manage those units, including collecting rent. In other words, small individual landlords who self-manage may operate outside the scope of those four code sections, while those who hire professional management remain subject to them.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners who believe they may qualify for the small-landlord exemption under § 44-7-36 should be aware that eligibility depends on two conditions: the combined rental-unit ownership of the individual, their spouse, and their minor children must total ten or fewer units, and management—including rent collection—must not be delegated to a paid third party. Operators who engage a property management company or any compensated third-party manager generally lose the benefit of this exemption and become subject to §§ 44-7-31, 44-7-32, 44-7-33, and 44-7-35. Compliant small landlords who self-manage typically keep clear records of their total unit ownership across family members to document their eligibility.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants in Georgia should be aware that § 44-7-36 creates an exemption from several protective code provisions for certain small, individually owned rental properties, which may affect what rights apply to their tenancy. If a tenant believes their landlord does not actually qualify—for example, because the owner's family collectively owns more than ten units or because a property manager is being paid to handle the rental—this could be relevant to whether §§ 44-7-31, 44-7-32, 44-7-33, and 44-7-35 apply to their situation. Tenants with questions about whether this exemption applies to their unit may find it helpful to consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office for general information about Georgia landlord-tenant law.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 28, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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