Cal. Civ. Code § 66-28-514
Retaliatory conduct prohibited.
Operative Text
(a) Except as provided in this section, a landlord may not retaliate by increasing rent or decreasing services or by bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession because the tenant: (1) Has complained to the landlord of a violation under § 66-28-301; or (2) Has made use of remedies provided under this chapter. (b) (1) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a landlord may bring an action for possession if: (A) The violation of the applicable building or housing code was caused primarily by lack of reasonable care by the tenant or other person in the tenant's household or upon the premises with the tenant's consent; (B) The tenant is in default in rent; or (C) Compliance with the applicable building or housing code requires alteration, remodeling, or demolition which would effectively deprive the tenant of use of the dwelling unit. (2) The maintenance of the action does not release the landlord from liability under § 66-28-501(b).
Tennessee Code Ann. § 66-28-514 prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants who report habitability violations or exercise legal remedies available under the state's residential landlord-tenant law. Retaliation is defined to include raising rent, cutting services, or initiating or threatening eviction proceedings in response to protected tenant activity. However, the law carves out exceptions allowing a landlord to pursue eviction when the tenant caused the code violation, is behind on rent, or when code compliance would require work that effectively eliminates the dwelling unit.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 66-28-514, operators who manage Tennessee rental properties are expected to keep any rent increases, service changes, or eviction actions clearly grounded in legitimate, documented business or legal reasons unrelated to a tenant's complaint or use of statutory remedies. Compliant operators typically maintain records showing the independent basis for any adverse action taken near the time of a tenant complaint. The statute does preserve the right to pursue possession when the tenant is in default on rent, caused the code violation, or when required code work would render the unit uninhabitable, but even successful eviction actions do not extinguish potential landlord liability under § 66-28-501(b).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tennessee Code Ann. § 66-28-514 gives tenants a legal shield against rent hikes, service reductions, or eviction threats that follow a complaint about habitability conditions or the use of remedies provided by state law. If a landlord takes one of these adverse actions shortly after a tenant exercises protected rights, that timing can be relevant to a retaliation claim under this section. Tenants who believe they are experiencing retaliation may consider consulting a tenant-rights organization, reviewing the remedies outlined elsewhere in Title 66, Chapter 28, or raising the retaliation provision as a defense in any eviction proceeding brought against them.
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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