Cal. Civ. Code § 66-28-508
Waiver of landlord's right to terminate.
Operative Text
If the landlord accepts rent without reservation and with knowledge of a tenant default, the landlord by such acceptance condones the default and thereby waives such landlord's right and is estopped from terminating the rental agreement as to that breach.
Under Tennessee Code Ann. § 66-28-508, a landlord who knowingly accepts rent after a tenant has violated the lease — and does so without any stated reservation of rights — is treated as having forgiven that particular breach. As a legal consequence, the landlord loses the ability to use that same breach as grounds to end the tenancy. The rule applies on a breach-by-breach basis, meaning it addresses the specific default for which rent was accepted, not future violations.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-508 generally take care to communicate in writing any reservation of rights before or at the time they accept rent following a known lease violation. Compliant operators typically document that acceptance of payment does not constitute a waiver of the right to pursue remedies for the existing breach. Maintaining clear, contemporaneous records of such reservations helps demonstrate that rent was not accepted unconditionally.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-508 provides tenants with a potential defense: if a landlord accepted rent with full knowledge of an alleged lease violation and without reserving rights, that acceptance may bar the landlord from terminating the tenancy based on that specific breach. Tenants who believe a landlord has waived a breach in this manner may be able to raise this statutory provision as a defense in an eviction proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations in Tennessee can help explain how this defense has been applied and what documentation may be relevant.
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 29, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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